Naples (Campania), Italy; St Joseph's Day (Festa di San Giuseppe) is celebrated on March 19 in Italy as Father's Day; zeppole di San Giuseppe are the traditional celebratory pastry of Naples and Campania.
Zeppole di San Giuseppe — the fried or baked choux pastry filled with pastry cream and topped with an amarena cherry — are the Neapolitan version of the St Joseph's Day (March 19) celebration pastry. Unlike the Sicilian sfinci, zeppole are made from choux pastry (pasta choux) piped into rings and either deep-fried until golden and puffed or baked until golden and crisp. The filling is a rich, vanilla-scented pastry cream (crema pasticciera), piped generously into the hollow of the pastry ring, and a preserved amarena cherry is placed in the centre. The preparation requires pastry skills — the choux must be properly cooked, the pastry cream must be perfectly set but smooth, and the piping must be controlled. On March 19, zeppole appear in the windows of every Neapolitan bakery and pastry shop, and buying them for the family is one of the day's customs.
Choux paste must be properly cooked on the stovetop — the dough should leave the sides of the pan cleanly and dry slightly before adding eggs Add eggs one at a time — the paste should return to a smooth, glossy consistency between each egg addition; add the last egg gradually to achieve the correct consistency Pipe rings consistently — consistent size produces consistent frying or baking; irregular rings cook unevenly Frying at 170°C — the zeppole must rise slowly; too hot and the exterior sets before the inside can expand Pastry cream must be cold before filling — hot cream melts the pastry; fill only when completely cold Amarena cherry is the traditional garnish — its sweet-sour, preserved quality is specific and correct; fresh cherries are a different dish
For the baked version: bake at 200°C for 20 minutes, then reduce to 180°C for 10 minutes with the oven door slightly ajar to allow steam to escape and the exterior to crisp The addition of a small amount of orange zest to the pastry cream gives a brightness that cuts the richness — a traditional Neapolitan variation For maximum crispness in the fried version: fry, drain, rest for 5 minutes, then pass briefly back through the hot oil — the second fry crisps the exterior definitively
Under-cooked choux — the paste must be fully dried on the stovetop; under-dried choux collapses during frying or baking All eggs added at once — the paste seizes; add one at a time and beat completely between additions Frying at high temperature — sets the exterior before the inside puffs; temperature control is critical Filling with warm pastry cream — melts and makes the pastry soggy Omitting the amarena cherry — it provides the essential sweet-sour counterpoint that balances the richness of the cream and pastry