Sfingi Recipes

SFINCI (SICILIAN FRIED DOUGH)

Steps:

• In a small sauce pan, warm until lukewarm. Pour 1/2 cup of the water into a small bowl and stir in sugar. Pour the yeast over the water and let stand 10 minutes.
• Pour the remaining 2 cups water in a large bowl. Stir in the yeast mixture. Add the flour and salt and using your hand, stir the mixture vigorously in a circular motion. Continue stirring this way for about 5 minutes until you have a thick, smooth dough.
• Cover well, using blankets if you wish, and place in a warm, draft free location in your kitchen. Let sit for 4 hours. Your unlit oven with the light on is a good option. The dough is ready when bubbles form on the surface and it has at least doubled in size.
• Fill a heavy bottomed sauce pan half way with vegetable oil. Slowly heat the vegetable oil on medium high heat. In order to test if it is hot enough, take a small piece of the sfinci dough and drop it in the oil. If it immediately begins to sizzle, the oil is ready.
• Use a tablespoon or soup spoon to drop the dough into the hot oil, scraping off the spoon with your finger or another spoon. Do not overcrowd your pan. After about 1 1/2 minutes, carefully turn the sfinci over to brown the opposite side.
• When they are a light golden color, remove the sfinci with a slotted spoon and place on a dish covered with paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
• Serve hot.

SFINGI RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large heavy pot and attached a deep fry thermometer to the side. Heat the oil to 365ºF/185ºC.
• In bowl whisk the flour, baking powder and salt.
• In another bowl, whisk the ricotta, eggs and superfine sugar until smooth.
• Gradually whisk the milk into the ricotta mixture and then the vanilla.
• Gently whisk the ricotta mixture into the flour until combined.
• Before you start frying mix the sugar and cinnamon (if using) in a bowl ready to roll the sfingi.
• Prepare a tray lined with paper towels ready to drain the sfingi.
• Once the oil is at the correct temperature, use two teaspoons to scoop and push the batter into the hot oil. Don't overcrowd the pan. Fry for about 5 minutes until the sfingi are well browned.
• Remove and drain on the paper towels then roll in cinnamon sugar

FRIED DOUGH / SFINGI RECIPE - (4.2/5)

Steps:

• Mix the yeast into 1/4 cup of warm water and let sit for 10 minutes until foamy. Add the rest of the water and the salt. Mix. Add the flour one cup at a time. You can use your hands or a food processor to mix it, but I prefer my big standing mixer with a dough hook. Mix in the flour until it forms a ball, then knead for 5-10 minutes (3-4 minutes in the mixer). Take balls of dough about the size of a small lemon and flatten them until they're about 3″ in diameter. Place on a floured towel or cookie sheet and cover with another clean towel. Let rise in a warm spot for 30 minutes. Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or a large pan until it's about 375 degrees fahrenheit. To test, drop a small piece of dough in. It should puff up and sizzle. While you're waiting, mix together sugar and cinnamon. Put this in a paper bag and mix together. Fry the dough about 3-4 minutes, until lightly browned. Drain on brown bags or paper towels, then shake in the bag with the cinnamon and sugar. Mmmmmm!

ITALIAN SFINGI (ITALIAN DOUGHNUTS)

Steps:

• Mix flour, sugar, and baking powder.
• Add eggs, water, and vanilla; mix well.
• Drop batter by tablespoons in hot, deep oil.
• If oil is hot enough, sfingi will cook and turn over without help.
• If not, turn with a large spoon to brown on both sides.
• Add as many sfingi that will fit in skillet or deep-fryer.
• Fry until golden brown.
• Drain on paper towels.
• Combine powdered sugar and cinnamon.
• Sprinkle warm sfingi with powdered sugar and cinnamon mixture.
• Delicious served warm!