Fried Bread Puffs Recipes

FRY BREAD I

Steps:

• Combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Stir in 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water. Knead until soft but not sticky. Shape dough into balls about 3 inches in diameter. Flatten into patties 1/2 inch thick, and make a small hole in the center of each patty.
• Fry one at a time in 1 inch of hot shortening, turning to brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

POORI (DEEP-FRIED PUFFY BREAD)

Steps:

• Combine chapati flour and all-purpose flour (or whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour) with salt in a bowl. Rub 2 tablespoons of oil into it. Add water, fast at first, to moisten the flour so it adheres into a mass; then slowly, little by little, until the dough is formed and can be kneaded.
• Place the dough on the work surface, brush your fingers and knuckles with the remaining teaspoon of oil (this will prevent the dough from sticking to your hand), and knead for 10 minutes or until you have a soft and pliable dough that is smooth and silky in appearance. Note from Epicurious: According to Sahni, the dough can be mixed and kneaded in a food processor without a sacrifice in quality. For instructions, see the Tips, below.
• Cover the bowl with a sheet of plastic wrap or a moist towel, and let it rest for 1/2 hour. (The dough may be made a day ahead and refrigerated, tightly covered. Remove from refrigerator about 30 minutes before you are ready to roll.)
• Put the flour for dusting in a plate, and keep it close to the work surface where the dough is to be rolled.
• Knead the dough again for a minute, and divide into 2 equal portions. With your hands, roll each portion into a rope, and cut each rope into 8 equal portions or pinch off small pieces of dough and roll them into 1-inch balls). Roll the small pieces into smooth balls, dust them lightly with flour to prevent their sticking to each other, and put them back into the bowl. Keep the balls covered loosely with a damp towel or a sheet of plastic wrap to prevent their drying out.
• Working one at a time, place a ball, generously dusted with flour, on the work surface, and roll it into a 5-inch circle, pressing and stretching it with the rolling pin. Dust the dough from time to time to keep it from sticking to the work surface or rolling pin. (All the breads may be rolled ahead of time and kept covered with a sheet of plastic wrap or a moist towel until you are ready to fry them.)
• While the last few breads are being rolled, start heating the oil in a kadhai, chicken fryer, or a deep saucepan that can be used as a fryer. When the oil is very hot and begins to smoke (400°F), drop one bread at a time into the oil. The bread will sink to the bottom. Immediately hold a slotted spoon flat over the bread, as though keeping it from rising, but not quite touching the bread. As the bread begins to sizzle and rise to the surface (about 3-5 seconds), press the bread very gently, as though patting it, for 2-3 seconds. This will puff the bread. Once the bread begins to puff up, be careful not to press the puffed part too hard, or the bread will break and oil will seep in. Let the bread cook until it stops sizzling and the underside is slightly brown. The entire process of puffing and cooking the first side should take about 15 seconds. Gently flip the bread, and let the other side cook about 15 seconds. Take it out, and drain it briefly on kitchen towels. Repeat with the rest of the rolled bread the same way. Serve immediately; or deflate them by placing them on the work surface and pressing gently, and put them in a covered dish or wrap in foil. Just before serving, warm them in a 300°F preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.
• Note: Poori can be served with practically all vegetarian main dishes, all side dishes, and those meat and chicken dishes that have reddish-brown sauces. Poori is traditionally served with Tari Aloo (potatoes in fragrant gravy) in Aloo-Poori, or with Keema Matar (ground beef and chickpeas in cashew nut sauce) in Keema-Poori, a combination generally served for Sunday brunch. You can also serve these combinations at picnics and barbecue parties for an unusual yet delicious flavor. For such occasions, make the pooris ahead, deflate, and wrap them lightly in foil. Just before serving, place them, still wrapped in foil, near the charcoal grill or barbecue pit to heat them slightly.
• Julie Sahni shares her tips with Epicurious:
• Chapati (also called atta) flour, which is more finely ground than American whole wheat flour, is available at Indian grocery stores. A combination of regular whole wheat and all-purpose flours can also be substituted.
• To mix and knead the dough in a food processor: Place the flours and salt in the procesor and buzz briefly to combine. Add the oil and process for 10 seconds. With the machine running, pour in half the water, process for a few more seconds, then turn the processor off. Turn it back on, slowly add a bit more water, process for a few more seconds, and turn it off again. Repeat until the dough forms a ball, reducing the amount of water added each time to just drops as the dough begins to adhere. As soon as a ball of dough has formed, stop adding water. Knead the dough by turning the processor on for 10 seconds, then off, and repeating 4 to 5 times, until the dough is smooth and shiny and feels soft and pliable to the touch.
• A kadhai, a round-bottomed Indian wok, is very useful for deep-frying, but a chicken fryer or other deep sauce pan can be substituted.

PURIS (FRIED BREAD PUFFS)

Steps:

• Mix flours, salt and Ghee until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add just enough water until it forms a soft dough. Place on a counter and knead for 5-8 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Put aside, covered, let rest for 20 minutes.
• Form the dough by rolling rounded teaspoonfuls into balls, then rolling those into 3 to 4 inch circles on a lightly floured surface. Cover to prevent drying.
• Heat 2" oil to 375 degrees. Fry patties, two or three at a time, turning once,until golden brown, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. You may need to help the puffing by holding down flat spots with your spoon. Drain on paper towels.
• They can be made ahead and kept warm in a 300 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes covered with foil. Or, for that matter, you can let them cool, and reheat the same way, warming for twenty minutes.

FRIED BREAD PUFFS

Steps:

• Combine flours, 2 tablespoons sugar, salt, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a bowl. Cut in Crisco with a pastry blender or 2 knives. Add water, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, mixing until dry ingredients are moistened and a soft dough is formed. Pinch off pieces of dough I and shape into 1-inch balls. Roll each on a lightly floured surface into a 3-inch round.Heat Crisco to 365°F in a deep saucepan or deep fryer. Fry, one at a time in hot Crisco for 1 minute. Turn and fry for 1 minute longer (will be puffed and lightly browned). Drain on paper towels. Blend remaining 4 tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Sprinkle over warm puffs.

JACQUES TORRES'S CLOUD PUFFS

Steps:

• Place 1/2 cup water, salt, pinch of granulated sugar, zest of 1/2 orange and 1/2 lemon, and butter in a 4-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan (the paste is easier to mix in a large pan). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Add bread flour all at once. Stir thoroughly with a wooden spoon.
• Return the saucepan to the stove and cook mixture over medium heat to dry out the paste, about 3 minutes. As it cooks, push the paste from side to side with the wooden spoon. Turn it onto itself to allow every side to touch the bottom of the saucepan, helping it to dry. Keep the paste moving, or it will burn. You will know the paste is dry when it begins to leave a thin film on the bottom of the saucepan.
• Remove pan from heat and transfer the paste to a large mixing bowl. Mix with an electric mixer set on low speed or by hand for about 2 minutes, to release some of the steam. Continue to mix, and slowly add eggs, one at a time, incorporating well after each addition. After each egg is added, the paste will become loose and look separated. Don't worry; once each egg is well incorporated, the paste will become smooth and homogenous again. The number of eggs used will vary depending on the size of the eggs and how well the pate a choux is dried. The drier it is, the more eggs you will need. After you have added 2 eggs, check the consistency by scooping a large amount of the paste onto a wooden spoon. Hold the spoon horizontally about one foot above the bowl and watch as the batter falls from the spoon back into the bowl. If it is pale yellow, smooth, moist, slightly elastic, sticky, and takes five to seven seconds to fall into the bowl, it is ready. If it appears rough and dry, and falls into the bowl in one big ball, it needs more eggs. Add another egg, and check the consistency again after it is well incorporated. If the pate a choux is too dry, it will not pipe well. If it is too wet, it will be loose, runny, and won't hold its shape.
• Use a 4-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan placed over medium-high heat to heat the oil to 330 degrees. Check the temperature with a candy thermometer. It is important to maintain the temperature, so you may need to adjust the heat or remove the pan from the burner to keep it where you want it. If the oil is too cool, the puffs will absorb too much oil before they finish frying.
• Transfer the batter into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch opening, no pastry tip, or use a paper cornet. Dip a wooden skewer into the hot oil (this will keep the dough from sticking to it). Hold the pastry bag over the oil and pipe 1/2-inch dollops of batter (about the size of a dime) out of the tip. Use the skewer to cut the paste from the tip, so the paste drips into the hot oil. (Be careful not to splatter the hot oil onto your arms or face.) Repeat until the saucepan is full of frying dough without being too crowded. Fry puffs, turning once, until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a large, slotted spoon, remove the puffs from the hot oil. Drain on paper towels.
• Combine remaining orange zest and granulated sugar in a bowl. While the puffs are still warm, roll them in the sugar and orange zest mixture until evenly coated. Just before serving, dust puffs with the powdered sugar. Serve immediately.

FRIED MOZZARELLA PUFFS

Steps:

• Combine water, butter, and salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer; pour in flour all at once and reduce heat to medium. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until a dough starts coming together. Cook, scraping up and stirring the dough, for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat; transfer dough to a mixing bowl. Let cool until no longer hot but still very warm, 5 to 10 minutes. Add egg and season with cayenne and freshly ground black pepper. Whisk vigorously until mixture combines into a very soft, sticky dough. Switch to a spatula and scrape dough into a ball.
• Seal dough and spatula with plastic wrap and refrigerate in the bowl until cool, about 1 hour.
• In the meantime, season marinara sauce with oregano, red pepper flakes, balsamic vinegar in a small pot over medium heat. Add anchovy fillet. Stir together and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 10 minutes; turn off heat and let sit until ready to use.
• Grate mozzarella cheese over the dough and stir to combine.
• Heat oil to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) in a deep fryer or heavy-duty pan over medium heat. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (93 degrees C) or any temperature for keeping warm.
• Scoop out about 2 tablespoons of dough per puff and form into a football shape using two spoons. Fry puffs, 5 or 6 at a time, in the hot oil until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Keep puffs warm in low oven while frying the rest. Serve with hot marinara sauce.

FRIED BREAD PUFFS

Steps:

• Combine flours, 2 tablespoons sugar, salt, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a bowl. Cut in Crisco with a pastry blender or 2 knives. Add water, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, mixing until dry ingredients are moistened and a soft dough is formed. Pinch off pieces of dough I and shape into 1-inch balls. Roll each on a lightly floured surface into a 3-inch round.Heat Crisco to 365°F in a deep saucepan or deep fryer. Fry, one at a time in hot Crisco for 1 minute. Turn and fry for 1 minute longer (will be puffed and lightly browned). Drain on paper towels. Blend remaining 4 tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Sprinkle over warm puffs.