We’ve been talking about Carnevale for the past week. By now you may be wishing you were there, but missed your window to book the trip this year.  

Well, if you can’t make it to one of the many spectacular events throughout Italy, celebrate your own Carnevale at home.

Invite friends and family over to your own masked ball. Have guests dress in costumes and beautiful masks, which can easily be ordered online. Offer a prize for the best dressed, make the night festive, and cook up some great Italian foods.

To help you along, we’re sharing a recipe from one of our favorite Italian restaurants in Kansas City, Jaspers Ristorante. Chef and owner Jasper Mirabile has agreed to share his recipe for a dessert favorite, Zeppoles.

Zeppola is a tasty bit of fried dough that is covered with sugar. Some say it’s the “Italian donut,” but we think it’s much more – a not-to-be-missed, decadent treat of Italy.

We’ve served it up on our beautiful Veneto appetizer plates, just one of the inspirational Italian dinnerware collections that makes us long for Italy.

Jasper Mirabile’s Zeppoles

• 1 cup boiling water 
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 pinch salt 
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 eggs
• 4 cups vegetable oil, for frying 
• Sugar for dusting 

Bring water to a boil and remove from heat. Add the butter and salt. Mix together until butter is melted. Slowly add the flour while mixing. Add one egg at a time, mixing before adding the next. This will form a lovely batter. 

In a medium sized pot, heat the oil to 375 degrees. Test with a candy thermometer to be sure the temperature is right. 

Drop the batter by spoonful in the hot vegetable oil; turning them as necessary to cook on all sides. Don’t overcrowd the pot. Cook until a golden brown.

Remove with a slotted spoon or strainer and set them on a paper towel, then quickly roll in sugar while still hot.

Serve immediately.

Grazie!

See more of our series on Carnevale:
Carnevale: Masked Balls, Orange Throwing, and Paper Maiché – Oh My!
Shake off your Inhibitions, It's Carnevale