Ricotta Castagnole

• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 t. kosher salt
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 1 cup flour
• 2 t. baking powder
• oil for frying (safflower, canola or similar oil)
• powdered sugar
• Nutella for stuffing

Directions

1. Heat oil in a pan (I use a cast iron skillet) to a depth of about three inches on a medium-high heat.
2. Beat eggs with a whisk in a large bowl. Add sugar, ricotta, salt, vanilla, flour and baking powder. Beat with a wooden spoon until mixed well. Batter should be thicker than pancake batter but not as thick as bread dough.
3. Drop a tablespoon full into a pan of hot oil. Fry the batter until they balls of dough are golden brown. They almost turn themselves over, but if they don’t make sure you flip them to fry all sides. Check the interior after you fry a few to make sure they’re cooked through. Adjust the temperature if necessary.
4. Drain on paper towels. Use a pastry bag and pipe with Nutella. Alternately, cut a hole with a knife and insert a small bit of Nutella. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar.

Chocolate Bignole

• Pastry Cream
• 2 large egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1½ tablespoons cornstarch, sifted
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3½ ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
• 1¼ tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, at room temperature
• Puffs
• 1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• ⅔ cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• ⅔ cup milk
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• About 3 quarts vegetable oil
• ½ cup confectioners’ sugar

Instructions

1. For Pastry Cream: In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and salt until thick and pale, about 2 minutes. In a medium saucepan, bring milk to a boil over medium heat; remove from heat.
2. In a slow and steady stream, whisking constantly, add about 2 tablespoons of the hot milk to the egg mixture; then, whisking, add remaining milk. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan, return to medium heat, and, whisking constantly and vigorously, bring to a boil. Cook, whisking constantly and into the edges of pot, until mixture is thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat, whisk in chocolate, and let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk in butter pieces, one at a time, until pastry cream is smooth and silky. Transfer cream to a clean bowl, immediately cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a crust from forming, and chill until cold, about 1 hour (pastry cream can be made up to 1 day ahead).
3. For puffs: In a bowl, whisk together flour, ⅔ cup cocoa powder, granulated sugar, eggs, egg yolk, milk, butter, baking powder, vanilla and salt until smooth.
4. Heat about 3 inches oil to 375° in a 3-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat. Drop teaspoonfuls of batter into oil and fry, about 10 at a time, until puffed and dark golden, 1 to 1½ minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer puffs to paper towels to drain.
5. Transfer filling to a large pastry bag fitted with a ¼-inch plain tip. Insert the pastry tip into the center of one puff; pipe in about 1 teaspoon pastry cream (do not overfill). Transfer filled puff to a parchment-lined baking sheet and repeat with remaining puffs.
7. In a bowl, whisk together remaining 2 tablespoons cocoa powder and confectioners’ sugar; dust puffs with cocoa mixture. Serve at room temperature.