In my Christmas column last year, I wrote about my family’s Christmas Eve menu and how it changed when I began hosting duties. I shared the recipes for Decadent Hot Chocolate and Spiced Apple Cider. I also mentioned one other item on the menu called sfingi. This week, I describe what it is and share the recipe.
Many cultures around the world make bread from fried dough. In many cases, the fried dough is served during a holiday or special occasion. It can be savory, sweet, filled or plain. During Christmas, Italian-Americans make sfingi, a ball shaped piece of fried dough dredged in granulated sugar and served warm. It is more easily described as an “Italian doughnut.”
My Italian-American family really established its roots in an area just south of downtown San Jose, which affectionately became known as “Goosetown.” I have the romantic notion that on Christmas Eve, Goosetown – and many other Italian-American neighborhoods – had the beckoning fragrance of hot oil and sweet dough creeping out of the homes. Even if you made your own sfingi, there was always a neighbor who stopped by to say hello with a generous offering of their sfingi.
Unfortunately, my family’s tradition of making sfingi on Christmas Eve ended more than 40 years ago. Well, that was until my hosting duties started. No one had the original family recipe, so I needed to create one. It had to have good flavor and a light, airy texture. After researching and testing, I discovered a little more yeast than most recipes called for did the trick.
Please note that my recipe calls for a standard packet and a half of yeast. If you need a use for the other half packet, make a half recipe of homemade bread. To save time on the day you plan to serve the sfingi, the dough may be shaped into balls the day before and held in the refrigerator. The dough will still have a good rise, but be sure to remove the dough balls about 1/2 hour prior to frying.
Sfingi
Makes 2 to 2 1/2 dozen
Ingredients
1 1/2 packets of yeast (1 tablespoon plus 3/4 teaspoon)
1 cup water
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 1/4 cup flour
Vegetable oil for frying
Extra granulated sugar for dredging
Step 1: In a small bowl, mix the yeast with about one teaspoon sugar and one tablespoon of flour. Mix with 1/4 cup of warm water to dissolve the yeast. Proof until the mixture becomes bubbly. Meanwhile, combine the remaining water, milk, egg, sugar and salt and mix well. Add the yeast mixture to the combined wet ingredients.
Step 2: Add the wet ingredients to the flour. A stand or hand mixer or food processor may be used. Once the flour and wet mixture have been well incorporated, kneed for about five minutes until the dough is smooth. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap and set aside until it has doubled, about two to three hours, depending on surrounding temperature.
Step 3: Punch dough down to redistribute the carbon dioxide in the dough. Place plastic wrap in a sheet pan and oil the plastic. Cut off small pieces of the dough, about 1 1/2 inches in size. Shape into balls and place on the oiled plastic. Cover with an oiled piece of plastic and proof until almost doubled, about 45 to 60 minutes.
Step 4: Heat 2 1/2 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy bottom pot or deep fryer to 350 degrees. With oiled hands, place a few pieces of dough in the hot oil and fry, turning once, until light golden brown and cooked throughout, about three to four minutes. Place sfingi on a few layers of paper towel to drain off excess oil. Place the hot sfingi in the dredging sugar and toss until they are well coated. Serve immediately.
Mitch L. Mariani II is a self-taught amateur chef. Reach him at Th****************@gm***.com.
