Bignè di San Giuseppe

Buona Festa del Papà to all the dads out there.

A perk of being bi-cultural is that we get to double up on several holidays.

At Christmas, our kids woke up to gifts from Santa in their stockings on Christmas morning. A few weeks later, on the morning of January 6, those stockings were filled again, this time with gifts and treats from the Befana in honor of the Epiphany.

Likewise, our boys dressed up in costumes and went trick-or-treating on Halloween here in the States, and then in February, they dressed up all over again to attend parties and eat special treats with other Italian expat kids in honor of Carnevale.

Even if we can’t take off work, we celebrate International Worker’s Day on May 1st and welcome the arrival of summer Italian style with fava beans, pecorino cheese, and crisp white wine. Then, on the first Monday of September, we grill burgers and brats and say goodbye to summer at Labor Day cookouts with friends and family.

Mother’s Day is the same in Italy and the U.S., but Father’s Day falls on different dates. In the U.S., Father’s Day is always the third Sunday in June. In Italy, la Festa del Papà is today, on March 19. It coincides with the Festa di San Giuseppe, or St. Joseph, a figure who represents fatherhood and family devotion in Catholic culture.

In Rome, la Festa del Papà is always celebrated with bignè di San Giuseppe, cream-filled pastries made with pasta choux, filled with pastry cream, and dusted with powdered sugar. A staple of the holiday, these pastries are found in pasticcerie throughout the city.

Bignè di San Giuseppe are similar to zeppole di San Giuseppe, which are more common in Naples and southern Italy. However, bignè are rounder and lighter. They are typically fried before being piped full of pastry cream, but they can also be baked.

We make our bignè di San Giuseppe here in Minneapolis, as they aren’t found in bakeries. Since I do not like deep frying at home, I bake the bignè. I also like to add a little whipped cream to my pastry cream, turning it into a lighter, airier Chantilly cream.

Pasta choux can be a bit finicky, but once you get the hang of it, bignè are surprisingly easy to make. They also smell delicious when baking in the oven. 

Buona Festa del Papà!

Ingredients

12-15 bignè

For the pasta choux

• 1/2 cup (125 ml) water

• 3-1/2 Tbs (50 g) butter, cubed

• 1 pinch of salt

• 1 pinch of sugar

• 3 eggs

• 1 cup (150 g) 00 flour

For the Chantilly cream filling

• 3 egg yolks

• 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar

• 3 cups whole milk

• 3 heaping tablespoons flour

• 1 cup of heavy whipping cream

• 1/4 cup (30 g) powdered sugar

Equipment

• 2 pastry bags

• 1 large round piping tip

• 1 small round tip

• Baking sheet

• Parchment paper

Instructions

Prepare the pasta choux bignè

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F (190° C).

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

3. Take the eggs out of the refrigerator and bring them to room temperature.

4. Add the flour to a small bowl and set aside.

5. Add the water, butter, salt, and sugar to a small saucepan.

6. Heat the water over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter has melted and the water boils.

7. Remove the pan from heat, add all the flour, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for a minute or two until the mixture forms a smooth ball.

8. Set the dough aside and let it cool for several minutes until tepid.

9. Add one egg at a time to the dough, stirring vigorously. Do not add another egg until the first is completely incorporated. If you prefer, you may use a stand mixer for this step.

10. When all the eggs have been incorporated, and the dough is smooth and elastic, transfer it to a pastry bag with a broad, round tip.

11. Pipe round mounds of pastry onto the baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

12. Using wet fingertips, smooth down any peaks formed.

13. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the bignè are golden brown. Remove and let them cool.

Prepare the Chantilly cream

1. Add the egg yolks and sugar to a small saucepan and stir until well mixed.

2. Slowly add the milk to the eggs and sugar, stirring constantly until well mixed.

3. Place the liquid over low heat.

4. Using a tea strainer or sifter, slowly add the flour, stirring vigorously with a wire whisk to incorporate all the flour.

5. Increase the heat to medium-low and stir the pastry cream continuously until it thickens and comes to a boil.

6. Remove the cream from heat, cover the surface of the cream with a piece of wax paper or parchment paper to keep a film from forming on top, and allow it to cool.

7. Whip the cream together with the powdered sugar.

8. Stir the whipped cream and pastry cream together to create a Chantilly cream.

Assemble, Garnish, and Serve

1. Transfer the Chantilly cream to a pastry bag with a small, round tip.

2. Poke a small hole in the bottom of each bignè and pipe cream into it until full. Wipe away any excess cream from the bottom of the bignè.

3. Use a tea strainer to dust the bignè with powdered sugar.

4. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

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