Zeppoles revisited

Zeppoles - made September 24, 2016 from The Culinary Institute of America

I haven't made zeppoles in forever. You'll notice my last couple of posts have been of my old favorites. That's because I made them for a family visit and that's what my extended family requested: apple cobbler for my uncle, coconut cake for my aunt and this one, zeppoles, for my niece.

I hardly ever make zeppoles because they taste so good and are subsequently so bad for you because they're deep fried in oil. All good things are, to the dismay and detriment of my waistlind. Still, once in awhile isn't so bad, right? Especially when you split a batch among 8 people. Practically calorie-free by then, I tell you (insert foodie delusion here).

Still, they're so quick and easy to make, especially for a brunch when people are already at your house, waiting to be fed and you still have to make them. Heat the oil while you put the batter together and you'll be ready with the batter before your oil is hot enough. Fry them golden brown or darker if you wish, but not too light or else the middle will be too doughy. The perfect zeppole is crisp/crunchy on the outside and satisfyingly chewy on the inside.

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Sift together the dry ingredients.
2. Gently beat ricotta cheese with vanilla and milk. Add dry ingredients. If batter still seems a little dry, add a little milk until batter is slightly more firm than the consistency of the ricotta cheese and there's no more loose flour. Do not overmix,
3. Drop by spoonfuls into hot oil (350 degrees F). Fry 3-4 minutes (they should fly by themselves) until golden brown.
4. Drain on paper towels, then sprinkle with powdered sugar while still hot. Serve warm.