ZEPPOLE DI SAN GIUSEPPE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven at 400 F.
• 2. Place the water, salt, sugar and butter in a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil.
• 3. Remove the pan from the heat and dump the flour in all at once, whisking it all in.
• 4. Return to the burner start stirring with a wooden spoon.
• 5. Cook, stirring constantly, until the dough starts to pull easily from the sides of the pan and forms a ball, about 3 minutes.
• 6. Remove from the heat and stir until tepid, 6 to 8 minutes.
• 7. Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring in each one completely before adding the next.
• 8. Stir in the vanilla. Cool completely.
• 9. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Place the dough into a pastry bag with a 1-inch star tip and pipe 2-inch rings onto the trays, as many as can fit.
• 10. Bake at 400 F for 15 minutes, then at 375 F for 15-20 minutes until evenly browned. Remove and let cool.
• 11. When cool, carefully slice rings in half and scoop out eggy wet dough. Fill with custard and place cap of pastry on top.
• 12. Top each zeppole with custard in middle and top with cherry. Sprinkle Powdered sugar on top.
• 13. NOTE: You can also fry this dough in oil after you pipe them until golden brown and then just fill the middle of the rings with custard and top with a cherry filling, preserved wild cherries or a maraschino cherry.