St. Joseph's Day Fare in New Hyde Park

When Josephine Parrino was growing up, her mother would give her a rose and a St. Joseph’s Day pastry. After she got married, her husband, Peter, liked the custom so much that every March 19 on the saint’s day, he presents his wife with a rose and a pastry. It’s an easy job for him to find the pastry that she loves because the Parrinos are the owners of and they always make the cakes, called sfinge di San Giuseppe, for the holiday.

Sfinge di San Giuseppe are deep fried dough balls that are filled with custard, jelly or cannoli-style pastry cream.

Josephine Parrino says the cannoli filled sfinge di San Giuseppe are somewhat more popular than the custard and that her bakery will have both to sell until Easter.

The pastry is named for Mary’s husband, Joseph.  I asked Josephine’s mother, Maria Cappellino, about the significance of St. Joseph and she said, “He was a wonderful man; he married Mary and believed what Mary said to him.”

Cappellino says people who want a good family life often pray to St. Joseph, who is seen as the patron of fathers. Fortunately for those who love sfinge de San Giuseppe, he is also the patron saint of confectioners and pastry makers.

St. Joseph’s Pastry can also be found at Casa del Dolce where owner Alexandra Pironi prepares sfingi and zeppole for St. Joseph’s Day. The sfingi are baked while the zeppole are baked and then fried. She fills the doughnuts with custard cream or ricotta and then tops them with powdered sugar and dried fruit – cherry or orange.

For more about both bakeries, here is their contact information:

Polito Bakery

3365 Hillside Avenue

516-248-6618

Casa del Dolce

1200 Jericho Turnpike

516-492-3043