Ricotta Zeppole, Gluten Free

Instructions

1. 1

   Drain the ricotta

   Set the ricotta in a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl for 10 minutes and discard whatever liquid collects. Wet ricotta is the single most common reason zeppole come out heavy and greasy, so this short wait earns its keep. If your ricotta is already thick enough to hold a spoon upright, skip ahead.

2. 2

   Whisk the dry ingredients

   In a large bowl, whisk the gluten-free flour blend, xanthan gum, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt together for a good fifteen seconds. Check your blend's label first: if xanthan gum or guar gum is already listed, leave it out here, because doubling up makes the zeppole slippery and gummy inside.

3. 3

   Mix the wet ingredients

   In a second bowl, whisk the ricotta, eggs, milk, vanilla, and lemon zest until loose and only slightly grainy. The extra milk compensates for the rice and starch flours, which pull in more liquid than wheat flour does.

4. 4

   Combine and rest the batter

   Pour the wet mixture into the dry and fold with a spatula until no dry streaks remain. There's no gluten to overdevelop, so mix until it's genuinely smooth. Now cover the bowl and let it rest for 25 minutes at room temperature. This is the step you can't skip: the starches need time to absorb liquid, and batter fried straight away tastes gritty and sandy. The batter will thicken noticeably as it sits, which is exactly right. Heat the oil while it rests.

5. 5

   Heat the oil

   Pour the oil into a heavy pot or Dutch oven to a depth of about 2 inches, leaving at least 3 inches of clearance at the top, and heat over medium until a thermometer reads 350°F. Temperature really is the whole game here: below about 340°F the zeppole drink oil and turn leaden, and above 365°F they brown before the centers set. Set a wire rack over a sheet pan nearby.

6. 6

   Fry in batches

   Scoop a rounded tablespoon of batter and use a second spoon to push it gently into the oil, working close to the surface so it doesn't splash. Fry 5 or 6 at a time and turn them with a slotted spoon so they color evenly. Gluten-free zeppole brown a shade faster and a shade darker than wheat ones, so judge doneness by feel as much as color: they should take 2 to 3 minutes and feel light and hollow when lifted. Break the first one open to confirm the center is set and spongy rather than sticky, and let the oil return to 350°F between batches.

7. 7

   Drain and dust

   Move the fried zeppole to the wire rack rather than paper towels, which trap steam and soften the crust. Let them cool for 2 or 3 minutes, then sift powdered sugar over them generously. These hold their crisp exterior for an even shorter window than the wheat version, so serve them within about twenty minutes of frying.

8. You did it! Help us bring baking back home by selling your delicious baked goods on Homebaked!

Baker's Tips

• 1.

  A thermometer clipped to the pot is worth more than any other piece of equipment here. If you don't have one, drop in a small bead of batter: it should sink briefly, surface within 2 to 3 seconds, and start bubbling steadily.

• 2.

  Keep the scoops small, about a tablespoon. Larger ones look impressive going in but often end up with a raw, pasty center by the time the outside is brown.

• 3.

  If your first zeppola browns fast and stays doughy inside, pull the pot off the heat for a minute to let the oil settle before continuing.

• 4.

  Swap the lemon zest for orange zest, or whisk a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon into the dry ingredients, for a different direction.

• 5.

  For a festival-style finish, toss the drained zeppole in cinnamon sugar while hot instead of dusting with powdered sugar.

• 6.

  Strain the cooled frying oil through a coffee filter and it's perfectly good for another round of frying.