zeppole/ricotta doughnuts

w/ fennel seed and orange zest

What I’m reading: I’m not going to lie, I haven’t read anything of note in the last week because work has been really really hectic, and I find it hard to focus on words when my brain is busy. I did have time yesterday, however, to watch the first two episodes of the new season of Bad Sisters on Apple TV, and although I’m not enjoying it quite as much as the first season, it’s still very funny and very good light relief.

What I’m listening to: I’ve been listening to a few episodes from the Go To Food podcast, which has some really interesting guests - mainly people who work in the industry in London

What I’m eating: I haven’t eaten anything out of note in the past week, but I did make myself a pretty epic full Irish breakfast on Sunday - see below :)

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Last week I worked most of my shifts at Canteen on Portobello Road. I realise my current place of employment is a bit confusing, but I promise it will all make sense soon (keep your eyes peeled in Jan). Anyway, I love working at Canteen whenever I get the chance, partly because the food is exceptional (look up recent reviews which are GLOWING), and partly because the team is the absolute best. Here’s some of the lovely things we made:

One of the perks of working in the same building as Canteen is that I sometimes get to help develop recipes for the dessert menu. The recipe below is one such dessert: they’re little ricotta doughnuts fried to order and tossed in fennel seed sugar. The menu at Canteen changes every day, so you’re not guaranteed to get these if you come to eat, but I CAN guarantee that whatever you get will be delicious.

They’re traditionally called zeppole - which I think is an utterly charming name - but they’re essentially little ricotta doughnuts, leavened with baking powder (so it comes together in a matter of minutes), flavoured with vanilla, orange zest and fennel seed. They’re best enjoyed fresh, so I recommend making them in small batches, tossing them in fennel sugar and serving them straight away to your friends with coffee or for dessert.

A few tips for frying at home:

• First, set up your frying station: a large saucepan with oil no more than halfway up, with a thermometer close by so you can continually monitor the temperature of the oil (you want it around 160C for these and most doughnuts).

• Next to your saucepan you’ll need a baking tray lined with kitchen roll to place your doughnuts straight into (and a slotted spoon to remove them)

• Next to the lined baking tray, you’ll want a bowl with your fennel seed sugar

• I like to work left to right, so I would have my bowl with the ricotta mix on the left, then the saucepan, then the baking tray, then the fennel sugar.

recipe: ricotta doughnuts