Zeppole (Italian Doughnuts) with Olive Oil Gelato and Strawberries

Directions

Doughnuts

1. Heat milk just until warm. Add it to the yeast and dissolve. Whisk in the flour until smooth.

2. Put in a warm place and let rise for 10 minutes.

3. In an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together.

4. Add eggs and yolks one at a time and mix until well incorporated.

5. Sprinkle in flour and salt and mix until it comes together and makes a dough.

6. Next, add yeast mixture to bowl and mix on low speed until completely combined. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1½ hours.

7. Scrape finished dough out onto heavily floured surface and cut to desired shapes. Let shapes rise for 30 minutes.

8. Heat oil to 350°F. Add shapes to hot olive oil, a few at a time so temperature does not fall. Fry until golden brown.

9. Immediately toss in sugar and sprinkle very lightly with truffle salt.

Gelato

1. First make the custard by whisking yolks and sugar together in a bowl until light in color, then bring the milk to a boil in a saucepan.

2. Temper yolks into milk by slowly whisking about one-quarter of the milk into the bowl of yolks.

3. Slowly pour the mixture back into the remaining hot milk, stirring constantly.

4. Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until it reaches 180° F or until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

5. Strain through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth and cool completely.

6. Mix the custard and cream together and churn in a gelato machine.

7. When mixture is three-quarters of the way done churning, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and finish churning.

8. Transfer to a clean, 1 quart freezable container and cover surface with plastic wrap before attaching lid. Freeze.

Strawberry Topping

1. Combine all ingredients. Macerate (combine with liquid to make soft) berries 15 minutes before serving.

To serve

1. Fry zeppole and serve berries over gelato with extra drizzle of sauce.