by Andrew Feinberg
A&M's Testing Notes:
Expand CollapseAndrew Feinberg's Notes:
34
grams fresh yeast
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300
grams all purpose flour
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155
grams fine yellow cornmeal
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6
grams salt, plus more for the corn
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1 cup
raw corn kernels (from about 2 large ears of corn)
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Olive oil
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Freshly ground black pepper
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2/3 cups
diced pancetta
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2/3 cups
cup finely diced mixed hot chilies (preferably a mix of wax peppers and jalapenos)
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2 liters
corn or vegetable oil, for frying
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To make the zeppole batter, whisk the yeast with 500 grams lukewarm water in a large bowl. Then whisk in the flour, the cornmeal and 6 grams salt, until the batter is smooth. Cover and keep in a warm place for at least an hour. (You can refrigerate the batter for up to 24 hours, but let it come to room temperature before proceeding.)
Ask the hotline about this step!While the batter is resting, heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the the corn kernels in a bowl with a generous glug of olive oil and a few pinches of salt and pepper and spread evenly on a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for about 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the corn is golden and caramelized. Set aside to cool.
Ask the hotline about this step!Put the pancetta in a medium skillet over medium-low heat and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, just until it starts to color (you do not want it too crisp). Transfer to a bowl using a slotted spoon and discard the fat. Let the pancetta cool.
Ask the hotline about this step!Put the oil in a large pot with high sides (it should come more than halfway up) and heat to 375 degrees. Meanwhile, stir the cooled corn, pancetta and chopped chilies into the risen batter (it should be quite thick). When the oil is hot, carefully drop the batter in heaping tablespoonfuls into the oil, cooking about 6 at a time (do not crowd them). If you have a splatter screen, use it, and be very careful, as the oil may spit. After about 2 minutes, turn the zeppole so that they brown on both sides. When they are golden brown, remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels, sprinkling immediately with salt and pepper. Keep the zeppolein a warm place as you cook the remaining batter. Make sure the zeppole have a chance to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving, as the centers need time to dry out. If you need to, you can reheat them in a 300 degree oven for a few minutes before serving, with lots of lemon wedges for squeezing.
Ask the hotline about this step!answered my own question: I made these on the morning of my dinner party and left them out room temp. They re-heated well in 300 degree oven for about 20 min.
Can you use rapid-rise yeast instead of fresh yeast? I don't normally see the latter....
I used rapid-rise yeast and let the dough sit for an hour. Was perfect.
I'm in the middle of prepping these now. I did cut the recipe in half, and the batter has been sitting for several hours now. It's bubbling, but it doesn't seem to be thickening up. It's still very soupy. The only thing I wonder is about the fresh yeast. I just bought it yesterday, but perhaps it had expired? I can't find the wrapper in the trash now. The other thing is that it had been in the refrigerator before I added it to the water. Perhaps that was a problem? I'm puzzled. Should I toss the batter or will it get thicker?
The batter should be a little soupy before you add the rest of the ingredients, but is it really runny? If so, something went awry. Keeping fresh yeast in the fridge is a good thing, so I'm guessing it might have to do with your flour or cornmeal measurement?
I used a digital scale, so unless I can't divide by two (jeez), I should be okay there. I would characterize it as a soupy sponge. I was thinking it would be closer to a bread dough after the first rise. Not that thick, but closer to that than what I have. (Belated best wishes, btw.)
You should be okay, I think. This muggy weather might be affecting things slightly. If it thickens to a slow, dropping consistency once you've added the pancetta, corn, etc., you should be good to go. Keep me posted!
Just saw you're in CA, so forget my muggy weather theory!
Heh. It's more a question of how does hot and dry weather affect the batter :-). I'll press on and see what happens.
All the worry was for nothing. They were perfect! Absolutely delicious. Thanks for the hand holding.
I started to ask the same question and then I realized that grams are weight not volume so for baking it can make a difference...34 grams of yeast is about 2 1/2 tsp, 300 grams of flour is about 1 3/4 cups, 155 grams of cornmeal is about 1 1/2 cups. Using a scale is so much more accurate. It's like a cup of lead weighs a lot more that a cup of flour.
For this recipe, it really is a good idea to weigh your ingredients, and grams are much more exact than ounces. I promise it's worth pulling out your scale!
I will buy a scale. Lesson learned! I did make these, though, and thought they were delicious. I'm having a small drinks party tomorrow night just so that I can make them again and for a larger group. have fennel in my garden now--may combine that with corn?? Suggestions?
So glad they came out well. I'd dice the fennel so it's about the same size as the corn kernels and roast it along with the corn. Great idea, by the way! I'm pretty sure Franny's did a fennel-only version earlier in the summer -- yum.
Could You Translate Measurements into American Measurments Please
I made these for appetizers last night for a dinner party...my guests ate every one of them...while exclaiming about how delicious they were!
Oh my god, yes. I will vote for Franny's-inspired *anything* zeppole.
What a great idea! I'm so torn between these two corn recipe finalists...
I've never measured in grams. How does this equate to regular measurements?
Melissa Clark is a food columnist for the New York Times and has written over 32 cookbooks, including the recent Cook This Now.
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Because this is a chef's recipe, the batter ingredients are all measured out by weight for super-precision.
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Both cornmeal and white flour go into the batter -- make sure to get finely ground cornmeal.
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We even weighed the water! Here's a tip, though: 1 gram of water equals 1 milliliter.
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Fresh yeast, which Andrew generously provided so Merrill could test this recipe on her own. It's worth seeking out fresh yeast if you can.
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The yeast gets mixed with lukewarm water (not too hot, not too cold -- just like Goldilocks).
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Into the yeast and water go the dry ingredients.
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The batter thickens up and then needs to rest in a warm place for at least an hour.
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Meanwhile, it's time to remove raw corn kernels from the cob in preparation for roasting.
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A little olive oil and some salt and pepper are all that's needed.
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Make sure to spread out the corn as much as possible, so that it doesn't steam rather than roast.
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While the corn is in the oven, Merrill cuts the pancetta into "lardons." Basically, any kind of small chunk or strip will do.
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A quick sauté over low heat (you don't want too much color or crispness), and the pancetta is ready.
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Green wax peppers are beautiful and pale and have a lovely, mild heat.
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Corn, chiles and pancetta get folded into the batter -- no need to be overly gentle, as you want everything evenly distributed.
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With the oil at 350 degrees, the batter goes in by rounded tablespoonfuls. If you have a splatter screen, use it. If you have an apron, wear it. And stand back, as every once in a while something may pop out at you.
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But it's SOOO worth it.
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A watched pot, and all that.
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One of Andrew's tricks is to let the cooked zeppole sit in a warm place for 10 minutes, which gives the still-moist centers time to cook through. If you need to, you can pop them into a warm oven to reheat them just before serving.
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A quick sprinkle of salt and pepper, and a couple of lemon wedges, and they're all set to go!
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any idea if I can make this ahead of time and reheat? How far ahead? They look absolutely scrumptious!