Celebrate St. Joseph's Day With Cream Puffs
St. Patrick's Day is a big blowout in the United States, but St. Joseph's Day? Not so much. It's a bigger deal in Europe, where in Italy, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain, and Lichtenstein, it coincides with Father's Day, according to Maria Liberati, author of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays and Special Occasions.
It's a day of feasting and to gather together with one's family. In Italy, St. Joseph, the patron saint of the poor and needy, is commemorated with a 13-course dinner, during which members of the family represent St. Joseph, his wife, Mary, and the angels. Traditional dishes include baccalà, sweet and sour giardiniera, macaroni baked with breadcrumbs, and of course, bignè or zeppole, also known as cream puffs.
Here, we have included two recipes for you to try: a traditional one from Liberati, and another one from Carolina Chirichella, author of the blog La Cucina Prima Donna, one that's perfect for Nutella lovers.
Filled with Italian pastry cream, these zeppole are a rich and satisfying treat for all. (Photo courtesy of Maria Liberati)
Ricotta and Nutella — a match made in heaven. (Photo courtesy of Carolina Chirichella)
Will Budiaman is the Recipe Editor at The Daily Meal. Follow him on Twitter @WillBudiaman.