Sfenj

Doughnuts

All over Morocco you will find doughnut makers, with cauldrons of hot oil, frying doughnuts to order. These are strung on lengths of palm frond and tied, to be taken home or to a café and eaten plain with very sweet mint tea. Dip in sugar if desired.

MAKES 20

2 teaspoons active dried yeast

½ teaspoon caster (superfine) sugar

375 g (13 oz/3 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

vegetable oil, for deep-frying

caster (superfine) sugar, to serve (optional)

ground cinnamon, to serve (optional)

Dissolve the dried yeast in 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) lukewarm water and stir in the sugar. Mix the flour and ½ teaspoon salt in a mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour in the yeast mixture and an extra 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) lukewarm water. Stir sufficient flour into the liquid to form a thin batter. Leave for 15 minutes until bubbles form. Gradually stir in the remaining flour, then mix with your hand to form a soft dough. If too stiff, add a little more water. Knead for 5 minutes in the bowl until the dough is smooth and elastic. Pour a little oil down the side of the bowl, turn the ball of dough to coat with oil, cover with a cloth and leave for 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.

Punch down the dough, turn it out onto a work surface and divide it into 20 even portions. Lightly oil your hands and two baking trays. Roll each portion of dough into a smooth ball and place on one of the trays. Using your index finger, poke a hole in the centre of each ball while on the tray, then twirl it around your finger until the hole enlarges to 2 cm (¾ in) in diameter. Repeat with the remaining balls of dough.

Fill a large saucepan one-third full of oil and heat to 190°C (375°F) or until a cube of bread dropped in the oil browns in 10 seconds. Have a long metal skewer on hand and begin with the doughnut first shaped. Carefully drop the doughnut into the oil, immediately put the skewer in the centre and twirl it around in a circular motion for 2–3 seconds to keep the hole open. Fry for 1½–2 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Once this process is mastered, drop 2–3 doughnuts at a time into the oil, briefly twirling the skewer in the centre of the first before adding the next. When cooked, lift out with the skewer onto a tray lined with paper towel.

Eat while hot with mint tea or sweet coffee. While it is not traditional, you can toss the doughnuts in caster sugar, adding ground cinnamon if desired.