FRIED DOUGH
it’s simply fried dough
Dough is defined as a thick, malleable mixture of flour and liquid, used for baking into bread or pastry. Or in this case, thrown into a big pot of boiling oil for a good old fashioned taste of fried dough. It was not until the invention of pottery between 8000-5500BC that this culinary delight was even possible. Primitive forms of deep frying became common in China and Egypt and frying dough developed into a culinary mainstay. It has been passed all over the world. It transcends cultural boundaries due to its simplicity in both ingredients and process alike. With flour, water and oil you can fry dough.
In my family, fried dough is a tradition of the Easter holiday. Honestly, I have no idea why. All I know is that we have fried dough, a glazed ham and pineapple and strawberries. Sometimes there is a breakfast sausage too, it dips nicely in the syrup.
The dough is a quick French bread recipe that yields a proofed up, puffed up, fluffy dough within an hour after mixing. It makes this a very easy dough to have done by breakfast. This dough can also be made into a little French bread boule or baguette if you like. Although I don’t find it to be outstanding it is a quick way to get a baguette within a few hours. It’s nice to a have a variety of dough options in your pocket. You never know where you might be or what you might be doing that calls for a fresh bread moment in a jiffy……or a fried dough moment if the occasion should arise.
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Ingredients
2 3/4 cups warm water, 2 tablespoons dry instant yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, 4 1/4 teaspoons salt, 7 cups of flour
four 16 ounce cans of Crisco for frying
Maple syrup, melted butter, paper bag of sugar
some pineapple and strawberries too, for fruit on the side
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The Process
pour two cups warm water in your mixing bowl
in a separate bowl or measuring cup mix the remaining 3/4 cup water with 2 tablespoons of yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar. Let rest for 10 minutes or until bubbly and the yeast is activated
pour yeast mixture into mixing bowl with the 2 cups of water. Add the 4 1/4 teaspoons salt.
Slowly add the 7 cups of flour very gradually. Mix in the bowl until enough flour has been incorporated to move dough to the table for kneading.
Knead dough on table for 5 minutes or until all flour is incorporated and the dough is supple and not sticky.
Cover and let rest for 1 hour or until dough is double in size.
After an hour, when you dough has risen, heat crisco in a pot on the stove. Test a piece of dough to see if the temp is right. The dough should slowly fry so as not to burn before it is cooked all the way through. It will be a golden brown when done.
If the heat is sufficient, start frying your dough! Cut different shapes and sizes to your liking and drop in the hot pot.
Remove when golden brown (like I mentioned above) and place in a bowl or basket with paper towel.
Serve on a plate with melted butter and maple syrup
Or, put in a paper bag with sugar and shake to make it like a sugar donut! Kids like this method.
Serve with slices of glazed ham and pineapple and strawberries!