Zeppole Time

[JadeMyst]

I just bought a Zeppole di San Guiseppe at Restaurant Pasta Casareccia for $3. I haven't tried it yet. Saving it for after dinner tonite. Any other places in town people would like to suggest for these?

With Easter coming up, I would like some suggestions for Italian Easter pastries too.

[mystikdrey]

Are zeppole there yet?

[Arktik]

Yes! They have been around for a few weeks now!

[karela]

Yes! I have seen them at the Conca d'oro (Molson/Jean-Talon) and Patisserie Tillemont (Tillemont/deLorimier)....haven't gotten any yet because my partner doesn't like them as much as I do.....hmmm, I should just wait until he is gone around coffee time and indulge!

[estilker]

I need to get some pronto!

[Montreal_eater]

I bought a dozen zepole lst week at Boulangerie NDG. Was my first time. Got 8 ricotta, and 4 cream. They were really good, and had a lot of filling. Delicious. At $2.75 each, it's an expensive way to feed a crowd. But once a year..I can do it! Havn't tried them anywhre else.

[restoprestige]

Must say that La Cornetteria has the best Zeppole around! So light and so fresh, my mouth waters for more!

-----
La Cornetteria
6528 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC H2S, CA

[estilker]

It's Zeppole time again. I spotted the first Zeppoles at Boulangerie Clarke (note the spelling :-). This and Cabane a sucre time will make for a heavy March :-).

[TheSnowpea]

ok, this year, I'M NOT MISSING OUT on this. :)

[tah1234]

Had a most sublime zeppole from La Cornetteria on St Laurent. What an incredible ricotta filled piece of heaven. I refuse to consider the calorie count.

-----
La Cornetteria
6528 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC H2S, CA

[Regina Margherita]

I just saw an ad from Alati Caserta - a tad late for Zeppole-seems they carry many flavours of Zeppole.They were also advertising Easter stuff La Pastiera (Neapolitan wheat and ricotta pie with orange blossom essence/candied cedar/lemon) and how could I forget....easily forgettable.
They also sell white Marzipan Lambs for Easter - These are sicilian and I recall very HARD.I love Marzipan, this not so much since it's not edible.
I've had a Marzipan Lamb once at San Pietro bakery on Jean Talon East past Papineau. You can check San Marco (before Papineau) if they sell it but I doubt it. These lambs are way old school. Mostly, people didn't eat them and let them harden as a tchotcke. Plus you'd feel guilty eating the lamb of God during Easter.
Those are the only Easter pastries you could buy I could think of during Easter besides the packaged Colomba which is bland.
The rest are traditional homemade baked stuff like "dolls" with dyed eggs, mini wreaths with dyed eggs and breads and cheesy pocket pies either sweet with ricotta or savory with stinky cheeses. There's a whole different menu for la Pasquetta - Easter monday that depends from region to region.

[JadeMyst]

Thx Regina... I was wondering what Italian Easter goodies were available here. That Las Pastiera sounds interesting.

[Nancee Swartz]

Can you post the photo again?

[JadeMyst]

@ Nancee--- which photo of what?

[karela]

Well thank goodness I have my fellow chowhounders to tell me about the good stuff! I have to confess until I actually purchased the zeppole, I had no idea what it was. But, while browsing chowhound this morning, I had just enough time to see the title of this thread before I had to run out the door. I thought "that sounds interesting, I wonder what they are, will have to check it out later."

An hour later, I found myself in the "pâtisserie conca d'oro" (2549 jean-talon est, near iberville) drawn in by the canoli I saw in the window, only to find that they were cream filled, which I personally can't stand. But, once inside I noticed a hand lettered sign saying "zepole for a limited time only" and underneath the fillings. They had about 5 different kinds, I opted for the basic ricotta. There was also cream, tiramisu and some others that I forgot. They were 2.50$ for one, and discounts for larger quantities.

I just finished eating it, and it was quite nice. It was the deep fried variety and the texture was like a crueller.

[moh]

Hi CH! Sorry, it has been a while. Had a lot of other things to deal with, but I've missed you all.

My wonderful husband remembered it was zeppole time. He happened to be in Chez Vito, and the really nice guy behind the cash register started talking zeppole. He recommended the zeppole at Boulangerie Clark, at 29 St. Viateur West, corner of Clark. They have 2 types, but the guy sad to go for the balls rather than the donut variety. So hubbie went there and lo and behold, zeppole.

Goodness! The balls rock! They are large cream puff style zeppole, I think the outside shell is fried, but I am not sure. The outside shell is crispy, but with a nice light dough texture, and the shell is fairly thin. There is an extremely generous smooth ricotta filling, light and creamy. This the most filling I've seen in a zeppole. They are $2.75 each, and they are awesome! They may be amongst the best zeppole I have ever had! I wolfed mine down in seconds, and let me tell you, that is impressive given that my appetite has been miniscule the last little while.

The nice man at the bakery says he'll have them for the next few week. They are closed on Sundays. Phone: [phone]. RUN! run and get some of these babies, they are absolutely delicious! I'm about to wolf down another... look at how much filling!

[hungryann]

Moh, glad you're back! We missed you too! :)

[moh]

Thanks hungryann! I'll try not to be such a stranger. It's just been an odd time.

I was awfully lucky hubbie had been checking the board on his own, and remembered about zeppole time. Big sweetie! He also said, "Hey, isn't it almost alphonso mango time?" hee hee, he's well-trained. I'll have to start looking.

[JadeMyst]

yes.. it's almost Alphonso and Kesar time and the hunt begins anew. Just a few more weeks till they should arrive.

[estilker]

I second moh about Boulangerie Clark ... I've overindulged on Zeppole last week. I mentioned Zeppole to a Canadian Italian colleague and he called his mom to have me bring some. The lovely lady brought me two boxes! Grazie! From Alati and Napoleon. Alati had the fried ones. They looked like a sliced donut and had custard or ricotta filling and a half a candied cherry on top. Napoleon had the baked ones, they also looked liked sliced donuts, but the dough tasted more like profiteroles. The filling was rictotta, with a slight hint of lemon and the occasional chocolate chip (not enough to qualify as straciatella though). Boulangerie Clark's once are less pretty, irregular shaped fried dough balls. But their filling has a higher cream to ricotta ratio and slightly sweeter. So, if I have to pick my favorite, it's definitively Boulangerie Clark!

[moh]

We've tried a few other products at Boulangerie Clarke while we eat our zeppole. The canoli was ok, the filling is excellent, just like the zeppole filling, but the shell was only so-so, so we will continue to buy canoli elsewhere. We had a really lovely pizza bread there, this long flat loaf with tomato sauce and crusty cheese on it, it was delicious! The tomato suace ws very vibrant, the dough soft and slightly chewy, and the crusty bits of cheese were perfect textural counterpoint to the dough. Yum.

I like this place, it is very cute. I am looking forward to trying the sandwiches.

[Regina Margherita]

You were asking for Easter pastries. Very few bakeries only serve a delicate neapolitan wheat kernal ricotta pie called la Pastiera - orange blossom essence. Alati on Jean Talon St , St-Leonard.
Most Italian easter breads (like brioches) are homemade. I find Seraphim on St-Laurent- has portuguese breads similar to Italian homemade breads. No one makes a Milanese bread with almondy crust La Colomba in Italian bakeries when you can buy it storebought. Not my favourite. Makes Pandoro and Panettone taste moist by comparison.

For a baked ricotta zeppole, last year I tried Firenze on Belanger/Lacordaire.Surprisingly good for a dumpy place in a strip mall.
ixnay on caramel and blue jelly donut fillings from Amaretti/Baci.
I bought some today at Alati on Jean talon east for 2,50$

[montrealbelle]

What is a Zeppole, I'm assuming its some kind of dessert.

[kpzoo]

It's an Italian cream-filled doughnut traditionally eaten on La Festa di San Giuseppe (Saint Joseph's Day) - March 19. If you like cream-filled doughnuts, I strongly suggest seeking iit out - delectable!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeppole

[grudz]

here is what they look like

[parisdreams]

Alati on Jean Talon have great italian pastry so I would highly suggest you visit ...
Parisdreams

[Evilbanana11]

Just ate 2 ricotta Zeppole from Alati-Caserta and they were delicous. Best way I can describe them is: Tim Horton's cruller exterior with a cannoli filling dusted with powdered sugar.

thx all for the recommendations.

[kpzoo]

Was by Molisana on Somerled in NDG today and disappointed to find out their zeppole only start on Thursday. Will have to try ones from Boulangerie NDG - they sound amazing, Andria!

[Arktik]

Molisana is uselful because they are good at advertising (ie. reminding me) that it's Zeppole time -also a reminder to go somewhere else to buy them! Unless you like sweet whipped lard filling...bleurk! Make the trek to NDG Bakery on Upper Lachine...

[kpzoo]

Whipped lard - gross! Are they really that bad?

I did indeed make the trek to NDG Bakery and they were diviine - see a bit further up the thread: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/6915...

[Evilbanana11]

Reading through those threads it seems the consensus is Alati Caserta or Roma. I'm embarrassed to say I've never tried Zeppole before but always wanted to. I'll make it my mission to try some this year.

Just one question though on the Alati Caserta web site (http://www.alaticaserta.com/index_en....) they seem to have 2 different types: traditional(i'm guessing they're fried) and baked ones which have a different shape. Which ones should a Zepolle virgin go for? and what filling?

[ManuelF]

Have one of each. They only come around once a year.

[Andria]

Yup, listen to ManuelF... one of each is best as they are different. I prefer the ones that look like cream puffs (baked).

[Andria]

last week, I bought zeppole di san giuseppe from Boulangerie NDG. They come filled with either sweet ricotta cream, or silky smooth chantilly cream. They were outstanding.

Sunday, I bought both sweet ricotta filled and tangy custard filled zeppole di san giuseppe from Alati on Dante. Since this place offers my favorite canoli in town, I thought these would be better than the ones I tried last week. I actually prefer the ricotta ones at Boulangerie NDG... I think the ricotta is smoother.

Today, someone brought some zeppole di san giuseppe in from Friulano. Unlike those boujght at the other places, these ones were the fried ones... the others were more like a cream puff shell. The cream in these were not that great and a little dry.

[ManuelF]

If ever the craving hits you while Downtown, head over to Via Crescent. They are from Pasticceria San Marco (Jean-Talon/Papineau). But please leave me one...or two.

[kpzoo]

I finally tried zeppole, from Boulangerie NDG on Upper Lachine. We had one filled with a cream/custard combo (this is how the server described it, a mix of the two), and one with a canoli-like cheese filling. Both absolutely delicious. Soft, puffy dough, with smooth, not-too-sweet filling. Not cheap at $3 each for a small doughnut, but worth every penny and certainly doable as a once-a-year treat. YUM!

[kpzoo]

For the zeppole recs, might want to check out the last two years' threads on the subject if you haven't already:

Signs of spring: It's Zeppole time!!! (2009)
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/600768

Zeppole (2008)
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/496131

[JadeMyst]

Thx for the zeppole links, now about the Easter pastries ..... other than Easter bread, are there any special Italian Easter pastries? I'm rapidly turning into an Italian pastry junkie.

[carswell]

Signs of spring: It's Zeppole time!
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/600768

Zeppole
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/496131

San Remo, Alati-Caserta and Alati are my go-to Italian pastry shops.