Tortas Fritas Fried Sweet Dough Recipes

TORTA FRITA (URUGUAYAN FRIED SWEET BREAD)

Steps:

• In a big bowl, add flour, salt, baking powder, and beef tallow. Use a pastry cutter or 2 knives to cut the fat into the flour. (Alternately, mix the ingredients together in a stand mixer, with a dough hook.)
• Add water and mix with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together. Knead it for a couple of minutes. Cover it and let it rest for 10 minutes.
• After resting, knead the dough for 5 minutes, or until soft.
• Separate the dough into 8 portions. Roll each portion between the palm of your hand and a flat surface to create a ball. Cover with a slightly damp kitchen towel and let them rest for 10 minutes.
• In a deep and wide pot, heat the oil to 375F, over medium-low heat.
• After the last resting of the dough, you should be able to stretch the dough by hand into about a 7 inch circle. If this is not possible, just flour a flat surface, and use a rolling pin to make a 7-inch circle. Cut a line in the middle.
• Fry the breads, one at a time. Fry for a few seconds and then flip. Let it brown on that side, then flip again and brown the other side.
• Remove from the oil and place on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• Dust with sugar and serve. (Best served immediately.)

TORTA FRITTA (FRIED DOUGH ITALIAN STYLE)

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine milk and 1 1/3 cups water. Heat to 110F or until warm to touch; remove from heat.
• In a large bowl, combine 5 cups of the flour, yeast and salt; make a well. Add olive oil and warm milk mixture and, using a wooden spoon, stir until dough just starts to form.
• Turn out onto a well-floured surface and knead until soft and elastic, adding more flour by the tablespoon as needed to keep dough from being too sticky, about 15 minutes.
• Transfer dough to a clean bowl, cover with a clean dishtowel, and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.
• Punch down dough and turn out onto a lightly-floured surface. Roll out to a ¼ inch thick rectangle, and cut into (about 50) 2 by 3 inch rectangles, transferring cut pieces to a sheet of parchment paper with space between each piece.
• Fill a deep saucepan with 1½ inches peanut oil and heat to 365F Fry dough pieces in batches, turning them before they are halfway done, until puffed and golden brown on both sides, about 1½ minutes total.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer torta frittas to paper towels in order to drain. Serve immediately.