Zeppole

Zeppole were a special Christmas treat that my Grandmother Catherine made. I started making them several years ago with her recipe, after she had stopped cooking and baking. They even passed her muster, so I guess I did all right.

5 c flour
1 t baking powder
2 c boiling water
2/3 c oil
1 t vanilla

Mound the flour in a deep mixing bowl. Add baking powder. Pour in the boiling water, the oil,
and the vanilla. Mix well. The dough will be sticky at first, but as it is mixed it will become less
so. Turn out onto a board and knead gently for a couple of minutes.

Cut the ball of dough into 8 parts. Roll each part into a long rope and cut the rope into 1-inch
lengths. Roll each bit further into a slim log, the size of your little finger and about 2 to 3 inches
long. Cross the ends into a little bow. Set aside.

Fry the bows in deep hot oil, until lightly brown. Do not overcook. Drain well on paper towels.
Transfer to a serving bowl. Warm some honey to thin it out (a microwave does this best) and
pour the honey generously over the zeppole. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.

A unique Christmas treat.

One-eighth of the dough.  

Dough rolled into a long rope, about the width of a finger.  

The rope, cut into small 'dumplings,' about a half-inch wide.

Each 'dumpling' is rolled out then twisted into a bow shape around the finger,
and pinched at the point of intersection.

Zeppole rolled out and ready to fry. 

Frying the zeppole in about an inch of oil, at moderate temperature. 

Fried zeppole drained on paper towels.