Sfenj (Moroccan Fried Dough)

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon instant yeast
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (for dough)
• 3 cups vegetable oil (for frying)
• ½ cup honey (for serving)
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Pour 1 cup of warm water (around 105–110°F) into a large mixing bowl. Add 0.5 teaspoon of instant yeast and let it sit for 1 minute to bloom, then stir gently.

2. 2

   Add 2 cups of all-purpose flour and 0.5 teaspoon of fine sea salt to the yeast mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon or dough hook attachment on low speed until a very soft, sticky dough forms — it should look more like thick batter than traditional bread dough. This will take about 2–3 minutes of stirring.

3. 3

   Drizzle 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over the dough and stir until fully incorporated. The dough should be smooth, elastic, and very wet — almost paste-like. If it's too stiff, add a splash more warm water.

4. 4

   Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30–40 minutes. You're looking for the dough to puff up slightly and become bubbly on the surface — it won't rise dramatically like bread dough, but you'll see small bubbles forming.

5. 5

   Pour 3 cups of vegetable oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Set it over medium-high heat and let it preheat for about 5 minutes until the surface shimmers and a small pinch of dough sizzles immediately when dropped in — the oil should reach 350°F on an instant-read thermometer.

6. 6

   Fill a small bowl with warm water and lightly wet your hand. Reach into the dough and gently grab a portion about the size of a walnut (roughly 1 ounce). With wet fingers, carefully pinch and stretch it into a ring shape with a hole in the center — the ring should be about 2–3 inches in diameter, roughly the thickness of your thumb. Place it gently on a lightly oiled plate while you shape the remaining dough.

7. 7

   Carefully slide 2–3 sfenj rings into the hot oil, working in batches so they have room to float and expand without crowding. Fry for about 1–1.5 minutes until the bottom side turns deep golden brown — you should hear a steady, gentle sizzle.

8. 8

   Flip each sfenj with tongs or a slotted spoon and fry the second side for another 1–1.5 minutes until it's equally golden and puffy. The sfenj should float to the surface and feel light and airy when prodded — it will puff up as it cooks.

9. 9

   Transfer the cooked sfenj to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon. Allow them to cool for 1–2 minutes — they will continue to crisp slightly as they cool.

10. 10

    While still warm, toss the sfenj in a shallow bowl with 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar if you prefer a lightly sweetened finish (optional). Serve immediately with 0.5 cup of honey warmed in a small saucepan — the traditional way is to dunk each sfenj into the warm honey or drizzle it generously over a plate. Sfenj are best eaten fresh and warm.

Tools you’ll need

• large mixing bowl
• wooden spoon or dough hook attachment on a stand mixer
• damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap
• deep heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
• instant-read thermometer
• small bowl
• lightly oiled plate
• tongs or slotted spoon
• wire rack or paper towels
• small saucepan

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