Pour water into a saucepan, add the salt and butter and bring to a boil.

As soon butter melts and water boils, put inside all the flour at once. Mix well with a wooden spoon for about 3 minutes, or until you get a ball of dough which no longer sticks to the sides of the pan.

Remove the pan from the heat, add sugar and mix well. Transfer the mixture into another bowl and let cool. Once the batter reaches room temperature, add lemon zest and eggs, one at a time, incorporating each egg completely before adding the next.

Cut out 2-in (8×8 cm) squares of baking paper. Put the batter in a pastry bag fitted with a star-shaped tip. On each paper square, form a ring of dough with a spiral movement.

Place 2-3 zeppoles in hot oil (170° C) together with paper. The paper will come off by itself after a few seconds. Once golden and puffed up, remove zeppoles with a slotted spoon and place them on paper towels to drain.

Serve sprinkled with powdered sugar or filled with pastry cream and garnished with candied cherries.