Difference MakersThe Advertising spot above is reserved for companies,people and organizations that are making a difference in the Italian and Italian American communities. It's a free spot and changes periodically. Are you making a difference? Contact me. | GrispelleThe cooking at Italyville continues with grispelle…we make grispelle every year around Christmas. We make the ball shapped grispelle with anchovies in the center and the donut shapped grispelle. My mom’s town in Calabria (Feroleto Antico) has an event every December called “la grispellisma”and it’s a wonderful event. Hope you are all enjoying the holiday season…anyone want some snow? We have plenty! 
 Leave a Reply | Heading to Calabria? Need a travel consultant,place to stay or some great ideas for what to do? Contact Bella Vita Travel Consulting in Catanzaro. | Joe Maruca welcomes you to Italyville where he writes and rants about growing up Italian in Massachusetts,his experiences living and working in Bologna,visits to the family's Olive farm in Calabria and everything along the way. In America we're considered Italian,in Italy we've become Americani... but we're always at home in Italyville. Italyville.com All Content,graphics and photos on Italyville.com are property of Italyville.com unless otherwise noted and can not be used without permission. All rights reserved. |
These look like some of the things my family used to make with the left over dough from pasta or cannoli! Happy Holidays
No more snow,Joe! We got 2 feet and counting. I’d rather have grispelle
These look like something my in laws would love. Break then out of their Piemontese rut. Yum. Happy holidays Joe!
I can’t believe that you make these too!
I made them last year with my mother on her last Xmas (in Australia). They are a must in my family. I’ll have to start making them a tradition here too.
Sandi…I imagine they are the same. I’ve heard that they were made with leftover dough before.
Me too Maryann…I’ll keep a little snow until after the holidays. BTW…I like your b-icycle!
Happy Holidays to you Marla.
That’s what I like to hear Scintilla…you should check out the “grispellissima”in Calabria…a whole festival about grispelle!
Wow,it’s so quiet in here! haha
Thanks for having my back,Joe
I’d love a little snow
you got it Maryann!
Girasoli…. we have about 15 inches…how much do you want??:)
Mmmm,grispelle! My dad is from Calabria,and I do remember having these as a child. Time to make them myself. Thanks for sharing,Joe!
No thanks on the snow Joe,we have enough here,but have a wonderful holiday!
Hi Joe,You say a Grispelle Festival in CaIabria,Sounds like fun!! Can you tell me more about this gathering?
I thank you,Chuck
My mother’s family is from Sta. Catarina in Catanzaro,Calabria. We make these as well every year,but call them “zipolli.”However,we’ve never used anchovy like I hear they do in Calabria. Like Chuck says above,tell us more about the Grispelle Festival. When exactly is it and what happens?
Grazie mille e Buon Natale!
Lisa
I don’t want to be greedy. Just enough to cover everything to make it a white Christmas
You can keep your snow Joe but I want that grispelle with anchovies. At first I thought it was sweet (not for me) but anchovy,ooh that is right up my alley.
Hope you are having a wonderful holiday.
Lori Lynn
“La grispellisma” sounds like a fun &delicious tradition Joe! I can recall my aunts making these as well. Hope you have a safe &wonderful New Year!
Yup,those are zeppole (as Lisa wrote so wonderfully as it’s pronounced in dialect “zipolli”) here in this part of Calabria…the cream puffy things that many people know as zeppole for San Giuseppe really don’t exist in this little pocket in the CZ province–although they do in the city of Catanzaro,go figure.
Here zeppole are made with anchovies as well as without,but my grandmother in America didn’t put them in because no one liked them (although I do now–anchovies are *so* much better here!)
The festival sounds great!
Please send me the recipe for Grispelle. My Aunt Mary made the best and NOBODY has the recipe.
Hello,My mother would make at christmas time, yeast dough which would be cooked in oil after they had risen. While hot we would dip them in honey. They were delicious. The last ones to be cooked were the ones with sardines.These were not dipped in honey.I remember what these were called but could not for the life of me spell the word,a dialect word for sure. My family comes from Falerna and my father-in-law’s comes from Feraleto antico. His name was Nicholas Mascaro. Oh,by the way,my grandmother was a Maruca.
Best wishes,PFG
Hi Peter,the ones with anchovies/sardines are called monacialli. I am going to post the recipe for them later this week.
hope you had a great Christmas…and thanks for reading.
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My Grandmother made grispelle every yr
but she put raisins in hers and then
honey drizzled over. I make them
they are deliscious.
Can you send me the recipe for Grispelle?
OMG!!!! I have been looking for the recipe for these things for ever. Growing up my nona from calabria made them and nobody in my family will give it up! nobody!!!