By Rossella Rago, Cooking with Nonna

Ingredients

For 2 dozen

For the Castagnole:

• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup Strega liqueur or rum
• 10 ounces whole milk ricotta
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 orange, zest only
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus more for rolling the zeppole
• 1 1/2 cups 00 or all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup pinoli nuts
• olive oil for frying
• confectioners sugar for dusting

Directions

1. Get the Baking Ingredients for this recipe HERE!
2. Add the raisins and the liqueur to a bowl and soak for 30 minutes to rehydrate. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the ricotta, eggs, vanilla, orange zest and sugar until smooth.
4. Whisk in the flour, salt and finally the baking powder until you have a smooth batter. Drain the raisins and add them to the batter along with the pignoli nuts. Fold to incorporate.
5. Put a 5-quart, heavy-bottomed stock pot over a high flame and heat about 3 inches of oil. You want your oil to be just under 350 degrees, you can use a thermometer if you like.
6. Fill a small glass or bowl with some oil as well.
7. As soon as the oil is hot, dip a small ice cream scoop in the glass of oil first and then begin dropping scoops of batter into the hot oil. Fry in batches until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes each. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
8. Dust with confectioners sugar.

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