Zeppole (Italian doughnuts)

For many Italians, zeppole hold a special place in our hearts. Zeppole are doughnuts, rolled in or dusted with sugar, with a fluffy melt-in-your-mouth centre. And they are super simple to make.

Zeppole (Italian doughnuts). Credit: The Chef's Garden

• serves

  6

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 500 g flour
• 6 tbsp sugar (about 120 g)
• 1 tbsp yeast
• Pinch of salt
• 4 eggs
• 50 ml milk
• 50 g butter, melted
• 1 lemon, zested
• Limoncello, to taste
• 1 vanilla bean
• 3 potatoes (about 400 g), peeled and boiled
• Oil, for frying
• Icing sugar, for dusting
  

Rising time: about 2 hours.

Instructions

1. Mix flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine the eggs, milk, melted butter, lemon zest, limoncello and vanilla bean seeds.
2. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients along with the boiled potato. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let it rest for a few hours in a warm place until it doubles in size.
3. Preheat the oil in a large pan to 170°C.
4. Take a tablespoon of dough for each zeppole and fry it in the oil for 3 to 4 minutes. Be sure not to overcrowd the pan, frying about 5 to 8 zeppole at a time.
5. Dust with icing sugar and serve.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.