Fastnachts Potato Doughnuts Recipe 35

GERMAN FASTNACHTS WITH POTATO

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast in the 1/2 cup warm water with 1 tsp of sugar.
• Mix potatoes, sugar, potato water and flour; add yeast dissolved in water.
• Let rise in a warm place for several hours.
• Then add 1 cup sugar, 1 cup lukewarm water or milk, 3/4 cup melted butter, 3 eggs, salt and about 5 cups flour for stiff dough.
• Turn onto a well floured board and knead for about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add a small amount of extra flour if necessary so the dough can be handled without sticking to your fingers.
• Grease a large bowl.
• Place the dough in the greased bowl.
• Cover with a thin towel, and let rise in a warm, draft free place for about 2 hours or until it is at least double in size.
• Now, according to all my instruction, you’re supposed to let the dough rise again for another hour or two, but that means you’d be fussing with these things all day; figure it out; this would be its third rising, with another to come; I think at this point I’d be reckless and divide the dough in thirds and start rolling it out.
• What matters if you do have a few large holes in your fastnachts?
• Take your choice, rise or roll.
• I’d try rolling the dough to about 3/4 inch thickness.
• Fastnachts have a traditional diamond shape; cut them into diamonds with a knife.
• Another essential is to cut a slit across the top of each fastnacht with a sharp knife.
• Let the fastnachts rise, covered, in a warm place, till they’re springy to the touch; when they’re quite fat and puffy, drop them with the raised side down into fat that is hot enough to brown a bread cube—375 degrees.
• Fry on both sides.
• If you don’t want that many fried cakes you might try baking some in a hot oven as rolls.
• Food that Really Schmecks.

PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH FASTNACHTS DONUT RECIPE

Steps:

• First, peel potato and cut it into cubes. Boil it until soft. Save the starchy water. Mash potato cubes and measure out one cup.
• Measure the starchy water and add more water until you have 4 cups.
• Proof yeast if you think it is old or wasn't stored properly.
• Then, in a very large bowl (3 gallons or so because it'll rise in this bowl overnight) add two cups of sugar, mashed potatoes, very warm starchy water (temperature should be 110-120F for yeast to rise) and yeast. This is very warm/hot water. It's best to use a thermometer. Stir.
• Check back in a few minutes. You should start to see some foam which means the yeast is working. If there is no foam at all, the yeast could be dead and you should get a new packet. Let it sit for 1 hour. It's o.k. if it sits longer (up to three hours.)
• Add in the butter, eggs, salt, and two cups of flour at a time. Use a mixer or stand mixer with a dough hook. Add enough flour until it's only slightly sticky when you touch the dough. It should spring back a little when you touch it. Place the dough in a 3 gallon or so bowl covered with a clean dish towel to rise overnight.
• This is what the dough looks like after it sits overnight. It will have doubled in size and fill the container.
• Line 5 sheet pans with wax paper.
• Add flour to counter and pull out a handful at a time to roll onto floured surface. Roll out long pieces as shown. Then, pull apart the size donut you want to make. Knead it in your hands and push a hole through the middle. Add it to the sheet pan lined with wax paper.
• After you've rolled out all of the donuts. Let them sit for one hour for the third rise.
• Add oil to a frying pan and turn the fan on high. The oil temperature should reach 400-425F. Line a platter with paper towels to place cooked donuts upon.
• Carefully place the donuts in the hot oil and cook on each side for 2-4 minutes. When you see the bottom edge of donut is brown, it's time to flip it. As soon as you remove each donut, sprinkle sugar on top while the donut oil is still wet so the sugar adheres to it a little better or you can just remove all of the donuts and sprinkle with sugar all at once.
• Change oil midway through frying the donuts. The oil will get brown. Pour it into a glass container (plastic will melt with hot oil) that you can discard. Put new oil in the frying pan or fryer and continue with previous step.

FASTNACHTS (GERMAN DOUGHNUTS)

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in lukewarm milk.
• Sift in flour and salt in bowl.
• Make a hole in the center.
• Pour dissolved yeast and all other ingredients into the hole and mix until not sticky.
• Cover and let rise until doubled.
• Punch down, then let rest for 10 minutes.
• Roll out to about 1/4-inch and cut.
• Let rise another 20-30 minutes.
• Fry in deep fat until light brown.
• While still hot, roll in sugar.

FASTNACHTS (POTATO DOUGHNUTS) RECIPE - (3/5)

Steps:

• Beat mashed potatoes, shortening, eggs, and milk. Sift dry ingredients together and add to mixture. Dough should be soft yet firm enough to roll. Separate dough into two parts and roll each to ¾-inch thickness. Cut with doughnut cutter, and cook in deep fat (356°) to golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper. Dust with powdered sugar or sugar and cinnamon mixture.

FASTNACHTS, PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH

Steps:

• Prepare 1 cup freshly riced potatoes.
• Beat well 2 eggs.
• Add very slowly, beating constantly, 2/3 cup sugar.
• Stir in potatoes and 1 cup buttermilk or yogurt, and 2 tblspns melted butter.
• Sift before measuring 4 cups all-purpose flour.
• Resift w/ 2 tspns double acting baking powder, 1 tspn baking soda, 2/3 tspn salt, and 1/3 tspn nutmeg or cinnamon.
• Stir in sifted ingredients into potato/egg mixture until blended.
• Chill dough until easy to handle.
• Roll out to 1/2 inch thick and cut.
• Cook in oil at 375º F.
• It's easiest to add them to the oil w/ a pancake flipper.
• Flip as soon as brown on one side.
• Takes about 3 minutes to cook one fastnacht.

FASTNACHTS GERMAN STYLE

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast in the warm water.
• Add the first measure of flour to the yeast.
• Stir until smooth.
• Add the milk.
• Stir in the first measure of sugar and half of the second measure of flour.
• Set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled.
• Stir in the salt, eggs, butter, the second measure of sugar, the nutmeg and sufficient additional flour to make a firm dough.
• Let rise until doubled in bulk.
• Punch down.
• Roll out on a floured board.
• Cut into squares.
• Set on a floured board.
• Let rise.
• Preheat the oil in the deep fryer to 360°.
• Deep fry the Fastnachts until light and golden.
• Drain on paper towels.
• Roll in granulated sugar while still warm.

FASTNACHTS PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH STYLE

Steps:

• Mix together all ingredients except flour.
• Gradually add flour, stirring well, using spoon until too thick.
• Then use hands and start kneading, gradually adding more flour until no longer sticky.
• Cover with wet cloth and let rise in warm place for about 4 hours.
• Roll dough on floured board to 1/2 to 3/4-inch thickness.
• Cut into rectangles about 2-1/2 x 3-1/2 inches.
• Make hole in center.
• Place on floured board and let rise about 1 hour.
• Deep fry in lard or vegetable oil at 360° until golden brown.
• Flip to other side and brown.
• Drain on paper towels.
• (Recipe can easily be doubled).
• Mix some powered sugar with a bit of nutmeg.
• Dust with powdered sugar/nutmeg while still warm.