Chrusti
One of our test-kitchen assistants, Herta Guhl, sold us on these Polish fried dough cookies. A little powdered sugar makes them irresistible.
If you can't wait to make these cookies, you will definitely want to consider entering our "Cook the Cover" recipe contest. The prize is a fabulous weekend in New York at The Gourmet Institute. And the winning recipe will be featured in an upcoming issue of Gourmet.
Ingredients
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh lemon zest
6 cups vegetable oil for frying
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
Special equipment: a pasta machine; a deep-fat thermometer
Preparation
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.
Beat together butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes in a stand mixer or 4 minutes with a handheld, then beat in sour cream, eggs, and zest. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Form into a 2-inch-diameter log.
Set smooth rollers of pasta machine at widest setting. Cut log crosswise into quarters and keep 3 pieces covered with a kitchen towel (not terry cloth). Flatten remaining piece of dough into a rectangle about 1/3 inch thick. Dust with flour. Feed through rollers. Fold in half crosswise and feed through rollers 8 more times, folding in half each time. Dust with flour if sticking.
Turn dial to next (narrower) setting and feed dough through without folding. Continue to feed dough through without folding, making space between rollers narrower each time, until the second to last setting is used.
Cut rolled-out dough into 5- by 2-inch rectangles. Make a 1-inch lengthwise slit in center of each rectangle. Pull one end of strip through slit, forming a loose knot. Transfer to a lightly floured baking sheet.
Heat oil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until it registers 370F on thermometer. Fry knots, 4 at a time, turning over once or twice, until golden, about 1 minute per batch. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
Turn off heat under oil and roll out and form knots with remaining dough. Return oil to 370F before frying rest of knots.
Dust cooled cookies with confectioners sugar.
Cooks' notes: If you don't have a pasta machine, roll out dough on a well-floured surface with a well-floured rolling pin to less than 1/8 inch thick.
These cookies are best the day they're made, but they can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature 1 day.
