Polish Faworki (Fried Pastry Bows)
Crispy, delicate fried pastry ribbons dusted with powdered sugar—a traditional Polish treat that's easier than it looks. Ready in under 30 minutes with just six ingredients.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 8g
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 whole eggs
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 3 cups vegetable oil for frying
- ½ cup powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sour cream until well combined and smooth, about 30 seconds.
- 2
Pour in the melted butter and whisk again until the mixture looks uniform, another 20 seconds.
- 3
Sprinkle the flour, salt, and pepper over the egg mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms with no flour streaks visible, about 1 minute.
- 4
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by pushing it away from you with the heel of your hand, folding it back, and rotating it a quarter turn; repeat for 3–4 minutes until the dough feels smooth and elastic.
- 5
Roll the dough as thin as you can get it—it should be nearly see-through in places, like thin pasta sheets; this takes 2–3 minutes of careful rolling with a rolling pin.
- 6
Using a sharp knife or pastry cutter, cut the dough into strips about 2 inches wide and 4 inches long (like small ribbons).
- 7
Tie or twist each strip loosely once in the middle so it forms a bow or loose knot shape.
- 8
Heat the vegetable oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 3 minutes; test with a small piece of dough—it should sizzle immediately and float to the surface.
- 9
Carefully place 4–5 faworki into the hot oil, one at a time, using tongs to lower them gently and avoid splashing—do not crowd the pot.
- 10
Fry for 1–2 minutes until the bottom side turns a light golden color, like honey, then flip with tongs and fry the other side for another 1–2 minutes until evenly golden.
- 11
Transfer each batch to a paper towel–lined plate using a slotted spoon; let them drain and cool for 1 minute before moving to a serving plate.
- 12
Repeat steps 9–11 with remaining faworki until all are fried.
- 13
Dust all the cooled faworki generously with powdered sugar using a sifter or fine-mesh strainer, tapping gently so the sugar adheres evenly to the surface.
Tools you’ll need
- large mixing bowl
- whisk
- wooden spoon
- floured work surface or cutting board
- rolling pin
- sharp knife or pastry cutter
- deep heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven (3-quart minimum)
- instant-read thermometer (optional, for oil temperature)
- kitchen tongs
- slotted spoon
- paper towels
- serving plate
- fine-mesh strainer or sifter
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