Bottega - Michael Chiarello [32]
What is zeppole? A savory treat from my bud Chef Dena Marino. If a donut hole were given the option, it would choose to be zeppole, an airy, savory—not sweet—Parmesan-dusted puff ball. I serve this by pouring the soup into a small bowl or glass that’s been chilling in the freezer. I set the bowl on a medium oval platter and lay out thin sheets of the prosciutto. On top of that go paper-thin slices of nectarine or peach or a good sprinkling of pomegranate seeds. Finish with a good sprinkle of fresh-ground black pepper. To eat, wrap a sheet of prosciutto around the zeppole, being sure to include a fruit slice or two. Take a big bite. Put down the zeppole and sip the soup. (The extremes are appealing to me: big messy bite, small delicate sip.)
You can make this soup the night before and make the zeppole dough up to 5 hours before you’d like to cook it. Keep the dough in the refrigerator until 15 minutes before you’re ready to begin cooking, and keep the soup refrigerated until you’re ready to plate.
Wine Pairing: Prosecco
ZUPPA DI MELONE
8 cups 2-inch cubes cantaloupe (about one 5-pound melon)
2 tablespoons honey, plus more to taste
¼ cup fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
1½ tablespoons grappa, plus more to taste
2 teaspoons sea salt, preferably gray salt, plus more to taste
ZEPPOLE
2/3 cup warm water (105° to 115°F)
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus 1 cup
Pinch of sea salt, preferably gray salt
1 scant teaspoon chopped fried rosemary leaves
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan for rolling
Peanut, corn, or canola oil for deep-frying
18 to 24 slices prosciutto or artisan domestic ham for garnish
2 ripe nectarines or peaches, peeled, pitted, and cut into thin slices for garnish
½ cup fresh pomegranate seeds
Freshly ground black pepper
Late-harvest olive oil for drizzling (optional)
FOR THE SOUP: Purée the melon in a food processor or blender until smooth. (You may need to do this in batches if you don’t have an extra-large food processor.) Pour the puréed melon into an 8-cup container. Stir in the 2 tablespoons honey, the 1/4 cup lemon juice, the 1½ tablespoons grappa, and the 2 teaspoons salt. Taste and add more honey, lemon juice, grappa, or salt if needed. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
FOR THE ZEPPOLE: In a medium bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Stir to dissolve the yeast. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes, or until foamy. Stir the 2 tablespoons flour into the yeast mixture and let stand for another few minutes. Whisk in the remaining 1 cup flour. Whisk in the salt and rosemary, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand in a warm spot for 15 to 20 minutes. (Use now, or cover and refrigerate the dough for up to 5 hours; remove from the refrigerator 15 minutes before you begin cooking the zeppole.)
Line a platter with paper towels. Pour the Parmesan onto a plate or into a shallow bowl.
In a large, heavy pot, heat 3 inches of oil over medium-high heat to 375°F on a deep-fat thermometer. Oil an ice-cream scoop or two large serving spoons. (The dough is sticky; without the oil coating, it’s impossible to coax it off the scoop or spoon and into the cooking oil.) Scoop up about 1 tablespoon of dough and carefully drop it into the hot oil.
Add 3 to 5 more dough balls to the hot oil, making sure they’re not too crowded. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side, or until golden. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to the prepared platter to drain for a minute or so. Then roll them in the Parmesan. (Save the remaining Parmesan in your fridge for another use.)
Ladle the soup into each of 6 to 8 small, chilled bowls. Fan the prosciutto slices onto oval platters, 3 slices per serving. Top with paper-thin slices of nectarine or peach