Fattigman Bakelse Poor Mans Pastry Recipes

FATTIGMAN BAKELSE (POOR MAN'S PASTRY)

Steps:

• Beat yolks and whites, salt and sugar together for 1/2 hour (I know -- but that's what the recipe calls for).
• Add cream and cardamom and stir together well; add butter, lemon extract and brandy.
• Add enough flour to make a dough stiff enough to roll out thinly.
• Place in refrigerator and chill overnight.
• Roll out thinly in small quantities; cut into diamond shapes.
• Cut a slit in the center of each diamond and pull one corner through.
• Preheat oil to 365°F and fry pastry to a delicate brown.
• Cool on paper towels and dust lightly with confectioner's sugar.

FATTIGMANN

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat egg and yolks together. Stir in the cream, sugar, melted butter and cardamom. Mix in enough of the flour to make a soft but manageable dough. Handle the dough as little as possible or cookies will be tough.
• Heat oil in deep skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). On a floured cloth, roll the dough out to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into 2x2 inch diamond shapes.
• Fry in hot lard until lightly browned. Drain on paper and dust with confectioners' sugar when cool. The cookies should be uniform in size and thickness and shouldn't be fried too dark or too light.

FATTIGMAN

Steps:

• Beat together egg yolks and sugar.
• Whisk in cream.
• Stir in cognac and spices.
• Beat egg white until it's stiff and carefully stir into other ingredients.
• Mix in a little more than half of the flour.
• Let dough stand, covered and in a cool place, overnight.
• Use the remaining flour (as little as possible) for rolling out the dough; the less flour you use, the more tender the fattigman will be.
• Roll the dough out a little at a time and as thinly as possible.
• Use a fattigmann cutter to cut out diamond shapes.
• Make a small diagonal cut in the center of each diamond, and "thread" one point of the diamond through the cut.
• Heat lard to 350º F.
• Fry fattigman until golden brown.
• You must flip the fattigman to brown both sides.
• A chop sticks works great for this.
• Drain on paper towels.
• Best when 2 people work on these, one cutting/flipping and the other flipping in the hot oil.

TRADITIONAL NORWEGEN COOKIES - FATTIGMANN (84)

Steps:

• Beat egg yolks with sugar until thick and yellow. Add cream, and flour mixed with baking powder and cinnamon or cardamom. Fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites and add more flour, enough to make a pliable dough.
• Chill. Roll out dough as thin as possible and cut into diamond shapes with knife or fluted pastry wheel. Make a slit in center of each diamond and pull the tip end of diamond through slit as far as it will go.
• Drop into hot oil or shortening (350 F). Fry like doughnuts, but only until very lightly browned. They cook almost as fast as they are put into the hot shortening, so they must be turned and taken out quickly. Drain on paper and sprinkle with sugar.

FRIED NORWEGIAN COOKIES AKA FATTIGMANS BAKKELSE

Steps:

• Beat eggs and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until thick and lemon colored.
• Beat in butter, milk and vanilla until well blended.
• Gradually add 1 1/2 cups flour.
• Beat at low speed until well blended.
• Stir in enough remaining flour with spoon to form soft dough.
• Divide dough into 4 portions; cover and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
• With floured hands, shape 1 portion dough at a time into 1-inch-thick square.
• Place dough on lightly floured surface.
• Roll out dough to 11-inch square.
• Cut dough into 1 1/4-inch strips; cut strips diagonally at 2-inch intervals.
• Cut 1 1/4-inch slit vertically down center of each strip.
• Insert one end of strip through cut to form twist; repeat with each strip.
• Repeat with remaining dough portions.
• Heat oil in large saucepan to 365°F.
• Place 12 cookies at a time in hot oil.
• Fry about 1 1/2 minutes or until golden brown, turning cookies once with slotted spoon.
• Drain on paper towels.
• Dust cookies with powdered sugar.
• Cookies are best if served immediately, but can be stored in airtight container for up to 1 day.

FATTIGMAN

Steps:

• Beat together egg yolks and salt until thick and light.
• Beat in light cream, sugar and butter.
• Sift together flour and nutmeg. Add to egg yolk mixture with lemon rind.
• Mix well, then chill 1 hour.
• Roll out 1/4 of the dough at a time, keeping the remaining dough chilled.
• Roll 1/16 inch thick. Cut in 1 1/2-inch wide strips. Cut diagonally at 4-inch intervals. Make 1 inch slit lengthwise in center of each piece.
• Slip one end through the slit. Fry a few at a time in deep fat (350 degrees F) for 1 to 2 minutes or until golden.
• Remove from fat with a slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels.
• Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Store in an airtight container.