• Preheat oven to 425ºF (220ºC). Grease and flour a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.

Making the Shells

• Sift the flour, salt, and baking soda together and set aside.
• In a heavy saucepan, heat the water, add the butter and lard, and when melted, remove pan from the stove and add the flour mixture all at once. Beat with a wooden spoon, then return the pan to medium-high heat, beating the mixture until it comes away from the sides of the pan.
• Remove the pan from the heat and add the eggs one at a time, beating with a wooden spoon or hand mixer to blend each in well before adding the next egg.
• Fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain nozzle with some of the cream puff mixture. Squeeze out 1 1/4-inch puffs about 1/2 inch apart on cookie sheet. Bake the cream puffs in preheated 425ºF (220ºC) oven for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
• When done, carefully slit the side of each cream puff with a knife to allow steam to escape and prevent the puffs from becoming soggy inside. Transfer the cream puffs to cooling racks.

Making the Filling

• In a small bowl, mix the potato starch (or cornstarch, if using) and sugar for the filling. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, heat the milk and butter over medium-high heat until the butter melts.
• Add the starch mixture and cook over medium heat until it starts to thicken, about 2 minutes.
• Remove the mixture from the heat and slowly add the eggs, beating well. Return the mixture to the heat for just a few seconds to cook the mixture, being careful not to scramble the eggs.
• Pour the filling into a bowl, add the almond extract, and blend.
• Cover with buttered waxed paper and refrigerate until ready to use.

To Serve

• Use a small knife to cut off the top third of each cream puff.
• Add about 2 teaspoons filling (more if the puffs are larger), replace the tops, and put puffs on a decorative platter.
• Dust with confectioner’s sugar and serve immediately.

Variation

• Fill cream puffs with jam, chocolate cream filling, or ice cream. Drizzle chocolate sauce over the top and place a maraschino cherry over each Zeppoli, instead of confectioners’ sugar.