No. 321 — Yeast Dough for Deep-Fried Pies and Doughnuts
English editorial translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 321 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, with historical measures, method and source.
About five hours before the meal, mix one glass of warm water or milk with two to three zolotniks of dry yeast, pour into 1½ glasses of flour, make a starter and put in a warm place.
After about two hours, when risen, beat thoroughly with a wooden paddle. Add ¾ teaspoon of salt, ⅛ Russian pound of soft butter, two or three egg yolks rubbed with ½ spoonful of sugar, and the rest of the flour, reserving a little to dust the table.
Beat as thoroughly as possible and leave warm for another half hour to an hour. The dough should be just firm enough to roll lightly with a rolling pin on a floured table.
For round stuffed doughnuts, divide the dough in two equal portions and roll each almost one finger thick. Put teaspoons of filling on one layer, cover evenly with the second and cut into small rounds with a glass.
Set the doughnuts on a lightly floured board and leave warm to rise for about three-quarters of an hour, but not too long; the author says the lightness of the doughnuts depends on this.
The historical text then calls for deep-frying in goose or pork fat mixed equally with Russian butter, or in the frying fat of No. 297. It describes adding a spoonful of vodka to very hot fat and frying several doughnuts at a time, covered by the fat, over gentle heat under a lid. This is an obsolete and hazardous frying practice, not modern guidance.
When browned, the original instructs lifting them with a perforated spoon onto a sieve lined with absorbent paper and then serving hot on a dish, optionally sprinkled with fried parsley No. 296.
For even softer doughnuts, make the dough too soft to roll easily: divide into twenty-four parts, stretch little cakes between lightly oiled hands, add a teaspoon of filling to each, pinch shut and roll into smooth balls.
For oblong pies, do not roll out the whole dough. Divide into even pieces, roll each into a ball, stretch into a little cake with floured hands, add a teaspoon of filling and pinch together along the long side.
Place on a lightly floured board, seam down, let rise and fry as described in the historical text. Serve with fried parsley if desired.
The author adds that deep-fried pies should not be reheated because they then acquire an unpleasant smell of fat.
To provide
1 glass of milk or water 2–3 zolotniks of dry yeast and 2–3 egg yolks ½ spoonful of butter as printed in the ingredient list 1¼ Russian pounds of flour | ½ spoonful of fine sugar and ¾ teaspoon of salt 1–2 Russian pounds of frying fat, depending on the pan 1 spoonful of vodka, as listed historically |