Eating fried bread with the Pueblo Indians in Acoma, New Mexico

October in Albuquerque New Mexico signals the annual Hot Air Balloon Fiesta.  This month after years of saying that we would visit our Air Force friends, Gina and Charlie Thomas, our dear friend Caterina Hammack, (the artist who illustrated my cookbook), my husband Ralph and I finally made the trip out west for this unique festival.  What a phenomenal and beautiful experience!

On the day of the fiesta we wondered if rising at 4:45 am would really be worth the effort.  Seeing the balloons illuminated and glowing just before dawn in the amazing New Mexico sky was fantastic!  The thrill continued as the sun rose, the sky became cobalt blue and the puffy white clouds surrounded the multicolored and diverse airborne balloons.  Standing on the launching field, we were in the thick of the clusters of balloons as they were fired up.  Took hundreds of photos of their journey across Albuquerque and then finally the often not so smooth landing of Darth Vader, the Joker and a myriad of colorful balloons.  A day to remember!

Part of our sightseeing included excursions to charming Santa Fe with its art galleries, boutiques of western jewelry and clothing and fine restaurants.  For me though, it was the visit to the Acoma Pueblo, the oldest pueblo in America that made the most lasting impression.  This probably was related to our arriving at one of their rustic homes where three women were outside frying homemade dough!  I watched and remembered the smell and the taste of the homemade dough my Sicili an grandfather, Tony LoCascio made for me and my sisters and the whole family almost every Sunday evening in his home on Long Island.  The “fried bread” of the Pueblo women most closely resembled the texture and flavor of Grandpa Tony’s zeppole.  On the table where their “bread” was served were little saucers of salt and sugar for toppings.  The only one missing was the marinara sauce that my Grandma Peppina added in a third bowl on her dining room table.  This food experience reminded me that many cultures in our world enjoy the same types of food, only with different names.  The Pueblos call it “fried bread” -  we call it “zeppole” – by any name it is divine!

 

 

 

IMPASTA di PIZZA e FOCACCIA
Pizza and Focaccia Dough #1 (Processor and Hand Method)

Ingredients:
One ¼ ounce package dry yeast or about 2 teapoons
1 ½ cups very warm (not hot) water
1 ½ teaspoons salt1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 ¾ cups unbleached flour (plus a little extra for kneading on the board)
2 tablespoons of olive oil, plus
1 tablespoon more for coating mixing bowl

Method:

1. In a large measuring cup, combine water, yeast and sugar.  Leave for ten minutes or until foamy.  If the mixture does not rise, throw it away and use a new package of yeast.
2. While the yeast is “proofing”, combine the flour and salt in the work bowl of a food processor.  Pulse two or three times with the plastic dough blade.
3. When the yeast and water mixture are foamy, turn the processor on and pour the yeast mixture through the feed tube until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  If dough does not form ball add more flour by tablespoons until dough forms a ball.  Continue to process 45 seconds to a minute.  Turn off machine and add olive oil.  Process for 1 more minute and transfer the dough to a floured wooden board or smooth work surface.  Continue to knead for a couple of minutes until the dough is smooth, adding more flour if the dough is too sticky.
4. (If using the hand method, combine the flour and salt and place the mixture on a smooth work surface or in a very large bowl.  Make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture and olive oil.  Gradually work the flour into the liquid, using a wooden spoon.  When the dough is too stiff to work with a spoon, knead it with your hands on a floured surface until it is smooth and shiny, about 8-10 minutes.  Add more flour if the dough is too sticky)*
5. Put the pizza dough in a mixing bowl to which you have added remaining 1-tablespoon oil and turn once to coat the other side.  Cover with a clean dishtowel and let rise until doubled, 1 ½ to 2 hours.  Punch down and let rise one more hour, if possible.

*Metal blade can also be used to make the dough but if children are using the processor I suggest ONLY the plastic dough blade be used.  Removing the dough from the work bowl can involve touching the center blade, which is very sharp.

Pizza dough can be made ahead of time (even the day before) and refrigerated covered with clear plastic wrap.  It will rise in the refrigerator but should be brought to room temperature, punched down and if possible, left to rise again briefly before spreading in the pan.

Yield: 1 large 16” round or rectangular pizza or 4 individual pizzas.

Zeppole di Grandpa Tony

Grandpa Tony’s Fried Dough

Ingredients:
1 Recipe Impasta di Pizza
Several cups of vegetable oil or pure olive oil for deep-frying (about 5 to 6 cups)

TOPPINGS:

2 cups of Pizza sauce
One small dessert cup filled with sea salt
On small dessert cup filled with granulated sugar or a shaker of confectioner’s sugar

Method:

1. After punching down the dough for a second time, break off pieces the size of small oranges.  Lightly stretch the dough into circles by pressing down with the palm of your hand.*
2. Heat the oil to 375 degrees, in a heavy deep saucepan or electric fryer (test the oil by placing a small piece of decrusted bread into it, when the edges of the bread bubble and sizzle, the oil is ready).
3. Carefully slide the zeppole into the hot oil using a large,, metal,  pierced spoon or spatula.  Do not crowd the zeppole, because the dough will puff up quite a bit.  Turn the puffs over until they are evenly golden on both sides.
4. Remove the zeppole, draining off the excess oil, and place them on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels.  Fry the remaining dough in batches until it is all used.  Transfer the puffs to a larger platter and serve immediately with the toppings.

Yield: about 20 puffs

* Alternately:  roll the dough out into a rectangle and cut with 3-inch biscuit cutter – deep fry as in step 3.

Recipe from “Festa del Giardino” by Sally Maraventano