What are zeppole?
Perceptions of zeppole (pronounced “ZAY-poe-lay”) appear to vary based on location and background. Anecdotes and articles describe these pastries as anything from fried dough to cream puffs. In Rhode Island, however, the general consensus seems to be that zeppole are baked rings of pte choux—the same dough used to make clairs—filled with custard-like pastry cream flavored with rum or vanilla. These pastries are typically garnished with powdered sugar and a maraschino cherry. Perhaps the only indisputable definition of zeppole comes from the James Beard Foundation website: “Saintly snack. March 19, the day of San Giuseppe, is the day tradition binds Neapolitans to eat zeppole… Not that it takes much encouragement.” Many non-Italians have trouble pluralizing the name of the pastries, attempting to get by with just slapping an “s” on the end. But zeppole is the proper plural form of the word, with zeppola being singular. Some sources claim that zeppoli is plural and zeppole is singular,
