Festa di San Giuseppe

In Italy the feast of Saint Joseph is celebrated with a variety of folkloristic traditions that merge the Holy figure of the father of Jesus with that of pre Christian traditions. Foe example, in Sicily and Salento the practice is to set the ‘Tavole di San Giuseppe’, or the ‘Table of Saint Joseph’. On the evening of the 18th of March, it is usual to set a table with pasta, vegetables, fresh fish, eggs, pastries, fruit and wine and to invite the poor into your home to eat. Homeless people are made welcome at the table, while three poor children are there to represent the Holy Family.

Food of course plays an important part in the feast all over the country, with the “Zeppole” of Saint Jospeh being the most famous indulgence to celebrate the Feast of St. Joseph, Father’s Day. Hailing from Campania, their invention is linked to a recipe that dates back to 1837 in the Neapolitan cooking book by Ippolito Cavalcanti. Circularly shaped, they are made with flour, sugar, eggs, butter, olive oil, custard, confectioner sugar and sour black cherry to decorate. They can be fried or baked. As for many Italian recipes, each Region has its version: if in Salento, Apulia, zeppole are traditionally fried in lard, and made with water, lard, salt, flour, grated lemons and eggs. In Sicily they are fried, made with flour, rice, orange honey and confectioners sugar. In Reggio Calabria ricotta cheese and cinnamon is added, too and they are shaped differently.