How To Make Zeppole Sarde, AKA Zippulas

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Ask my family and friends what my favorite Sardinian sweet is and they will tell you it’s zeppole sarde – zippulas in Sardinian.

Typically eaten during Carnival, and a must on Shrove Tuesday (Martedì Grasso, also known as Pancake Day or Mardi Gras), just a day before Lent begins, these fritters that look like donuts are plain yet complex, crispy yet deliciously moist, and they are the kind of thing everyone loves – even the pickiest children.

Carnival is quite a big affair in Sardinia. Here we celebrate like mad, in preparation for the 40 days of modest eating that will lead to Easter during which we aren’t supposed to eat sweets. Places like Mamoiada, famous for its Mamuthones masks; Oristano, where the Sartiglia is celebrated; and Tempio Pausania are known for having the most traditional celebrations, which can be either a feast of colors or extremely dark – but nevertheless interesting.

And since so much of our culture is linked to food, zippulas are never missing during the celebrations. They are such a popular sweet that you can literally find it at each and every bakery (pasticceria) in Sardinia.

Don’t confuse zippulas with zeppole from other parts of Italy – which are made with different ingredients and usually stuffed with custard!

zeppole sarde
zeppole sarde

Tips To Make And Store Zeppole Sarde

Use acquavite or grappa

If you can’t get hold of acquavite you can use grappa or brandy.

You can free zeppole

Put it this way: my mom always does. When she wants one, she takes it out of the freezer, let it defrost, microwaves it for a few seconds, and it’s almost as good as freshly made.

Yield: 30

How To Make Zeppole Sarde, AKA Zippulas

Discover how to make zeppole sarde - via @c_tavani

An easy recipe to prepare Sardinia's favorite Carnival sweet: Zeppole Sarda, AKA Zippulas

Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Additional Time 4 hours
Total Time 5 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 and 1/4 cups (500 grams) of all purpose flour
  • 1 (200 grams) white-flesh potato
  • 3/4 cup (180 milliliters) whole milk at room temperature
  • 1 egg
  • The grated peel and the juice of 2 oranges
  • 3 tablespoons acquavite
  • 2 tsp (6 grams) of fresh yeast
  • 1 small bag of saffron
  • 4 cups of frying oil
  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) of sugar for decorating

Instructions

potatoes

STEP 1 - BOIL THE POTATO AND PREPARE THE YEAST

  1. Boil the potato in unsalted water until fork tender. Once cooked, peel it and mash it with a fork.

zippulas ingredients

STEP 2 - MIX THE INGREDIENTS

  1. In a large bowl - preferably a terracotta one - mix the flour with the egg, the mashed potato (while still hot), and the orange juice.
  2. With a spoon, mix the yeast with the milk. Once the yeast has melted in the milk, slowly pour it onto the mixture, as a you continue mixing.
  3. Add the orange peel and the saffron.
  4. Mix by hand for 20 to 30 minutes, then add the acquavite.

zeppole sarde mixing

STEP 3 - LET THE MIXTURE REST, THEN MIX AGAIN

  1. Let the mixture rest for 20 minutes, then mix it for 20 more minutes.
  2. Lasciate riposare 20 minuti e poi impastare di nuovo per altri 10.

mixture

STEP 4 - LET THE MIXTURE LEAVEN

  1. Let the mixture leaven in a warm place, covered with a cloth or blanket, for about 4 hours.

zeppole sarde

STEP 5 - FRY THE ZEPPOLE SARDE

  1. Warm up the frying oil in a deep pan. Ideally, it should be at 160° C (320° F). Using wet hands, take a small dose of the mixture, place a hole in the middle and loosen it up and place it in the oil, using a wooden chopstick to make sure the hole doesn't close, as shown in the video.
  2. When the zeppola starts turning golden, flip it around and fry it on the other side.
  3. Make sure to wet your hand in water for each zeppola you prepare and place in the oil.

STEP 6 - SPRINKLE WITH SUGAR

  1. Once the zeppole are cooked, place them in absorbing paper to take out excess oil. Place on a dish and sprinkle with sugar.

Notes

Serve warm!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

15

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 578Total Fat: 60gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 54gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 22mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 2g
© Emanuele
Cuisine: Sardinian / Category: Sardinian Food

Further Readings

For more recipes, you may want to check out the following posts:

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Learn how to make zeppole sarde - via @c_tavani
Discover how to make Sardinian zeppole - via @c_tavani

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