CHURROS

Feeds 8

This much-loved fried pastry from the Southwest is much simpler to make than it seems. It involves pâte à choux, a French pastry term that might terrify just by the fact that it sounds French. Don’t worry. It’s a simple butter, flour, sugar, and eggs combination, made airy by heat and constant whisking. I love that a French culinary technique traveled to Mexico to help make these treats, which then made their way to New Mexico and Arizona. And now, they’re gluten-free, via a kitchen on an island in the Pacific Northwest. That seems very American to me.

Cook the flour and sugar. Set a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the water, butter, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and salt to the pot. When they come to a boil, whisk continuously to avoid burning. Add the flour blend and psyllium husks and whisk until everything is well combined and starting to bubble.

Make the churro batter. Add the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. With the mixer running, add the eggs, one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding another. Finish by adding the vanilla.

Heat the oil. Set a large wok over medium-high heat. Add the oil. Heat it to 375°F. Combine the remaining ¼ cup of sugar and the cinnamon on a plate.

Pipe the churros. Pour the churro batter into a pastry bag with a star tip. Pipe out 3 to 4 inches of batter directly into the hot oil, taking care to not burn yourself. (You can use a paring knife to release the end of the churro from the pastry bag.) Pipe no more than 3 churros in the oil at a time to avoid overcrowding. Fry until the churros are golden brown and crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the churros from the oil with a Chinese spider or slotted spoon and place on a paper towel–lined plate.

Toss the hot churros onto the plate of cinnamon sugar and coat them well. Fry the remaining batter the same way.

Eat immediately.