Italian bakeries crank out millions of zeppole every Saint Joseph’s Day. Enjoying this delicious pastry is a tradition not only in Italy, but all over the world.
March 19th is Saint Joseph’s Day, aka the Feast of Saint Joseph. It’s also recognized as Father’s Day in many countries, including Italy.
All the best holidays in Italy are closely associated with a specific food.
On February 5th, the people of Catania celebrate Saint Agatha Day by eating little cakes called cassatelle di Sant’Agata. All Saints’ Day, celebrated on November 1st, means Italians will be eating Pane dei Santi, or All Saints’ Bread. And New Year’s wouldn’t be complete without lentils, a symbol of good fortune for the upcoming year.
Of all the holiday foods, the zeppole is my favorite. Every St. Josepsh’s Day, bakeries in Italy crank out millions of the little pastries.
Traditionally, zeppole are fried dough filled with custard or ricotta, much like a cannolo. They are then topped with powdered sugar, more custard or ricotta, and a cherry.
There are lots of variations on the traditional zeppole.
Rather than the 4 inch or so diameter zeppole, smaller versions are about the size of a donut hole. These are usually not filled.
In some places, including Sicily and Malta, there are savory zepploe. These often are filled with anchovy.
Zeppole can also be filled with chocolate.
The first mention of something resembling a zeppole comes from an Egyptian traveler in Tunisia around 1460. He wrote of something called mujabbana. The description of a fried dough filled with cheese and sprinkled with sugar is similar to zeppole.
And, it wouldn’t be a surprise that this treat came from northern Africa since the migration of food to Italy, Spain, and Malta from Tunisia, Algeria, and Egypt was common.
In the early 1800’s a baker from Naples, Pasquale Pintauro, popularized the custom of eating zeppole on Saint Joseph’s Day. However, Pasquale’s sweet treat probably more closely resembled the sfogliatella, which has a much crispier crust.
The Saint Joseph’s Day celebrations are especially festive in Sicily. Here, Saint Joseph is credited with saving Sicily from starvation in the Middle Ages. To mark the occasion, many Sicilians eat fava beans which are in season in mid-March.
On the island of Malta, there are lots of fireworks and processions featuring Jum San Ġużepp.
In Spain, Saint Joseph’s Day is celebrated as Father’s Day. Children cook breakfast for their fathers. This meal is usually vegetarian because the holiday normally falls during Lent.
Several U.S. cities, especially New York City, Chicago, and Providence, RI, celebrate Saint Joseph’s Day. But, New Orleans may have may have the biggest celebration of all. Here, something called Saint Joseph altars are built. Tables are set up in public and private spaces and filled with food to honor Joseph. The next day, the Joseph altars are taken down and the food is given to charity.
If you won’t be in Italy for St. Joseph’s Day, don’t fret. There’s plenty of places to satisfy your zeppole craving in the U.S. Here’s a few of the best.
Rhode Island has one of the largest Italian-American populations per capita in the U.S. And, there’s tons of great Italian bakeries in the Biggest Little State in the Union.
Scialo Bros. Bakery (reopened in 2021) on Federal Hill serves some of the best zeppole I’ve ever tasted. La Salle Bakery in Providence also makes a terrific zeppole.
New York City if famous for its Italian heritage. Veniero’s Italian bakery has been in business since 1894, so you know they’re doing it right. Go to Veniero’s for a great zeppole on St. Joseph’s Day.
Northern New Jersey also lays claim to some very fine Italian bakeries. Palazzone 1960 is one of the best to satisfy your zeppole craving.
In Chicago, the place for zeppole is Sicilian Bakery. You can get them filled with your choice of custard or ricotta. They also have my favorite Palermo street food, sfincione on the menu!
When Italians first came to the U.S. they landed in New Orleans. You might be surprised to learn that there is a lively Italian-American culture in Crescent City. But, zeppole aren’t readily available because of the prominence of it’s sister pastry the beignet. However, Restaurant Avo does have zeppole on the menu.
Brent Petersen is the Editor-in-Chief of Destination Eat Drink. He currently resides in Setubal, Portugal. Brent has written the novel “Truffle Hunt” (Eckhartz Press) and the short story collection “That Bird.” He’s also written dozens of foodie travel guides to cities around the world on Destination Eat Drink, including in-depth eating and drinking guides to Lisbon, Porto, Sintra, Monsaraz, and Evora in Portugal. Brent’s podcast, also called Destination Eat Drink, is available on all major podcasting platforms and is distributed by the Radio Misfits Podcast Network.
For a city whose cuisine is so closely identified with fish (Bacalhau) and eggs (Pastel…
Brent talks with Lorraine, a Canadian who moved to Portugal on a D7 visa. She…
Vincent Marcus is a foodie tour guide for Food Tours Stockholm as well as a…
Brent is in Marfra, Portugal to visit the incredible National Palace. Then, he seeks out…
Vancouver is getting tons of buzz as a foodie city. Doug, founder of Vancouver Food…
Grape growing and wine making dates back about 3,000 years in northern Spain. Today, Rioja…
View Comments
Montreal is also a great place for Zeppole. St. Joseph’s Oratory is one of the largest churches in the city, and its dome sits prominently on top of Mont Royal overlooking the city, (although you can’t really see it from downtown, because it’s built on the other side of the mountain.) Brother André Bessette, who was the motivating force behind building the oratory in the early 20th century, was, himself, made a saint within the past 10 years. The oratory is a place of pilgrimage for people from around the world, and probably the largest religious tourist attraction in the city. Zeppole are found in many bakeries in mid-March, most definitely along St. Laurent Blvd. in Little Italy.
Thanks for the tip, Scott. I'm looking forward to a trip to Montreal for Zeppole!
Gr8 & Very Interesting Information !! Thanks For Sharing !! Being 100% Italian I Never Knew Why We Celebrated St Joseph’s Day & Of Course The Delicious Zeppoles!! 👍🇮🇹
Termini Bakery in South Philadelphia makes a scrumptious zeppolini. The long line to get into the store is Cee worth the wait.
Do you of any place down the south jersey shore that has zeppole?
Best Zeppole I've ever had and continue to have is at @sanremobakery in Etobicoke Ontario. Check them out! Check out the reviews, I'm not lying.. LOL
Thanks for the tip, Joe. Looks like there's a lot of great zeppole in Canada!
Thanks great information
Sadly, Scalio Bros in Providence closed last year. There are many other bakeries in greater Providence that celebrate this holiday but Scalio Bros was the premier shrine for the zeppole .
Our Zeppole are the donut hole size with raisins in them. We roll them in granulated sugar and eat them hot out of the oil. With father Joseph descendent from Sicily and mother Josephine with family from Campania, we always celebrate Saint Joseph's day on March 19 with our sweet treat. I was unaware of the cream filled variety until I moved to Rhode Island. I was unaware of the cream filled variety until I moved to Rhode Island.
My grandmother use to make throughout the year especially at Christmas time, she made them shaped like a donut with sugar sprinkled on them. I wish I had her recipe.
Thanks for sharing, Raymond.
Termini’s Bakery in South Philadelphia makes the most amazing Zeppoles. It is well worth waiting in line for an hour just to enjoy this scrumptious treat. It is a South Philly tradition!
Thanks, Pat. Sounds like a trip to Philly is in order!