ItalianCookingForum.net
● Bigné di San Giuseppe
These little sugar doughnuts are eaten on Saint Joseph’s Day, March 19, which is Father’s Day in Italy.
51⁄2 tablespoons butter
pinch of salt
11⁄4 cups flour, sifted
4 eggs
2 yolks
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
vanilla sugar
zest of 1 lemon, grated
olive oil for frying
In a pot, heat 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold water with the butter and salt. When mixture boils, remove from heat and sprinkle in the flour. Stir well, return to heat. When the dough is sticky and starts to make a slight frying sound, remove from heat. Let cool, then stir in eggs and yolks. When you see little air bubbles in the dough, add a teaspoon of sugar and the lemon zest. Keep mixing until thoroughly incorporated.
Remove dough from the pot, wrap it in a clean dishtowel and refrigerate 30 minutes. Heat oil over moderate heat, and add teaspoonfuls of the dough. As they start to swell, increase the heat. As soon as they turn golden, remove from oil. Let oil cool slightly, then start a new batch. When ready, pile them in a pyramid and sprinkle with vanilla sugar. Makes TK
