The Feast of St. Joseph

Today marks a Saint’s Day that is celebrated with food and drink:

The Feast of St. Joseph.

Honoring my Grandpa Joseph (Pappa Red) husband and son Emanuel Joseph and Dominic Joseph! My cousin Joe and my dear friend JoJo , and those that share the name, on this St.Joseph’s Day! ❤️❤️🥰

I remember as a little girl going to the old neighborhood with my parents and brother! I was dressed in a pretty red dress, white tights and patent leather shoes, and red bow in hair. We participated in the feast day with our family nembers. We’d gather around a beautifully decorative table with an abundance of delicious homemade food! All made with love! I love that memory! It gives me a feeling of warmth! ❤️

Many people around the world will celebrate the Feast of St. Joseph, or La Festa di San Giuseppe, today. The holiday's roots date back to the middle ages, when Sicily underwent a major drought that threatened a massive famine. The locals prayed to their patron saint to bring them relief in the form of rain. In exchange, they promised to honor St. Joseph (the husband of the Virgin Mary) with a proper banquet. Sure enough, he answered their prayers. In return, they feasted on local foods such as fava beans, which thrived after the rain, as well as many sweets. Since the feast occurs in the middle of Lent, it is a meatless celebration.

Here is a yummy recipe, that is traditionally eaten on this day that you might enjoy!

Zeppole or Sfinge — dough fritters covered in sugar — these sweet trests are also traditionally eaten on this day.

Depending on where they are consumed, they can be be simple fried doughnut holes, custard or jelly-filled, or the equivalent of cream puffs made from choux pastry, similar to the French profiterole.

Zeppole

Ingredients

1 cup warm water

1 teaspoon active dry yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon olive oil

vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

In a small bowl, add the yeast, sugar and salt to the water. Let stand until creamy, about 2 minutes, and stir to dissolve the yeast.

In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, yeast mixture and olive oil. Stir with a wooden spoon until a nice sticky dough forms. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1-1/2 hours.

In a deep saucepan, pour in vegetable oil to a depth of 3 inches. Heat the oil to 370 degrees (use a frying thermometer).

Use two tablespoons to scoop out the dough and drop it into the hot oil, by using one spoon to push the dough off of the other. Do this for about 4 zeppole at a time, do not crowd them in the pan. Cook until golden brown and puffy, turning with a slotted spoon to fry evenly on all sides.

Remove the zeppole from the oil with the slotted spoon, and transfer to a plate or tray lined with paper towels to drain. When all zeppole are fried and drained, add about a cup of sugar to a ziploc bag and drop a few at a time. Seal the bag and shake it coat the Zeppole.

Note: You may want to make a double batch; they do disappear fast!

And Remember to wear red! 🥰❤️

God Bless!