The tradition of Zeppole di San Giuseppe, an iconic dessert of southern pastry, has its roots in the culture and customs of the area, becoming over time a true symbol of Father's Day and the arrival of spring. In particular, Puglia and Campania boast a long history in the preparation of this dessert.
St. Joseph, a celebration with a long history
The Zeppole of San Giuseppe and the significant date of March 19th are part of a much broader historical and cultural context, which transcends the mere religious celebration or Father's Day.
The period between the end of winter and the beginning of spring is closely linked to the agricultural purification rites of Roman origin, during which it was traditional to light bonfires to burn the brushwood and symbolically a piece of winter, welcoming Spring also through ancient rites of propitiation and fertility.
These fires were occasions during which the communities also gathered to share pancakes covered in honey, precursors of the modern zeppole of San Giuseppe, fried in boiling lard and accompanied by wine and ambrosia.
These holidays, dedicated to Bacchus and his teacher and companion in celebration, Silenus, were prohibited by Emperor Theodosius II, who outlawed pagan cults. As also happens with celebrations of the deceased and Marian feasts, these pagan traditions were somehow assimilated and preserved by Christianity, which established the feast of Saint Joseph at the turn of the spring equinox, thus perpetuating ancient customs through new celebrations, such as the Fanoja of San Giuseppe.
The origins of the zeppole di San Giuseppe, from the flight into Egypt to Goethe, up to the present day
According to some popular traditions, after having to flee to Egypt with the baby Jesus and Mary, Saint Joseph found himself in need of selling fritters to support his family financially in a foreign land. The probable origin of the term zeppola, from cippus, wedge, seems to recall the saint's profession.
The history of the actual Zeppole di San Giuseppe is intertwined with that of the ancient Kingdom of Naples. Various hypotheses attribute their invention to religious communities such as the nuns of San Gregorio Armeno, Croce di Lucca or dello Splendore.
Visiting Naples on March 19, 1787, Johann Wolfgang Goethe, in his famous Viaggio in Italia, wrote:
Today was also the feast of St. Joseph, patron saint of all fryers, that is, those who deal in fried pastries. Since great flames continually rise under the black frying oil, all the torments of fire fall under the jurisdiction of these people; so, since yesterday, people have decorated the facades of their houses as best they can with paintings representing the souls in purgatory and the Last Judgement, red and flaming all around. Large frying pans stand in front of each door on light burners. A boy makes ring-shaped cakes and throws them into the fatty, boiling oil. Next to the frying pan, a third boy uses a fork to pick up the ring-shaped cakes as they come out fried, passes them to a fourth on the tip of another fork, and the latter offers them to passers-by. The third and fourth of these boys wore blond, curly wigs, which to passers-by seemed to be the attributes of angels. Other individuals completed the group, offering wine to the fryers, drinking themselves and screaming wonderfully: angels, cooks, everyone screamed. The crowd pressed together, also because all sorts of fried food were sold cheaper on this day; a part of the profits were even distributed to the poor.
The first written documentation of the Zeppole recipe dates back to 1837, within the treatise of Ctheoretical-practical kitchen di Ippolito Cavalcanti.
In addition to Puglia and Campania, zeppole are a fixed element of the celebrations of San Giuseppe also in Calabria, Sicily, and in many other regions of the South, prepared on special occasions and holidays to bring families and friends together around laid tables. Furthermore, their presence on the menus of bars and pastry shops throughout the year testifies to how much they are rooted in the culinary culture of the South and loved by adults and children.
The Recipe and Variations
Zeppole di San Giuseppe are prepared with simple but essential ingredients: flour, sugar, eggs, butter and olive oil, enriched with custard, icing sugar and black cherries in syrup for decoration. Traditionally, the zeppole are fried and garnished with custard and black cherries in syrup, with a final sprinkling of icing sugar.
Even in Puglia, Zeppola is prepared in a particular way during the feast of San Giuseppe, becoming the typical dessert of the holiday and the homage to fathers on Father's Day. The traditional Apulian zeppola stands out for being fried in lard, following a recipe that includes water, lard, salt, flour and grated lemon, as well as eggs. Zeppole are filled with custard and traditional black cherries in syrup, although variants with chocolate or oven-baked versions are also widespread, which are decidedly healthier.
Accompanied by a glass of Moscato di Trani fresh, they offer a unique experience.
Zeppole di San Giuseppe are not simply a dessert, but a real ritual that every year, on March 19, fills homes with scent and tradition. Each bite tells a story of family, celebration and sharing, a bond with the past that continues to live on our tables. Whether fried or baked, in the classic version or revisited with modern variations, Zeppole remain an icon of the celebrations of San Giuseppe, a dessert that warms the heart and reminds us where we come from, guarding a piece of our cultural and gastronomic identity.
Difference between zeppole and pettole
Although both fried and prepared with simple ingredients, Zeppole di San Giuseppe and zeppole, called pettole in Puglia, have different origins and uses in the gastronomic tradition.
Pettole, on the other hand, are little balls of leavened dough that are part of the family of raised pastas, like Apulian panzerottoPettole can be either sweet or savoury and are eaten during the Christmas period, often accompanied by honey or sugar in the sweet version, or savoury or stuffed with seaweed, anchovies or other ingredients.
Zeppole di San Giuseppe are not simply a dessert, but a real ritual that every year, on March 19, fills homes with scent and tradition. Each bite tells a story of family, celebration and sharing, a bond with the past that continues to live on our tables. Whether fried or baked, in the classic version or revisited with modern variations, Zeppole remain an icon of the celebrations of San Giuseppe, a dessert that warms the heart and reminds us where we come from, guarding a piece of our cultural and gastronomic identity.
