Inseparable on the Portuguese Christmas table, the “Filhoses” or “Filhós”...
let’s call them just “donuts” are a
fried sweet that
everyone seems to like.
Many decades ago, it was customary for families to spend the Christmas Eve frying
the “donuts”, was more a mean of socializing than just to bake a sweet, was a
time where neighbors drifted in and out of each other's homes and where to
leave the door locked was a almost nonexistent habit... Today this tradition has
disappeared entirely, as well the friendly neighbors open doors... perhaps in
some small villages this stills goes on!
Here it is the recipe... we hope you
enjoy!
(It's a bit tiring preparing them since we have to knead the dough with our hands as is done with the traditional bread making!)
Ingredients:
Preparation:
Note: Contrary to what usually happens with fried food these “donuts” get softer as the days pass by.
750 g wheat
flour
20 g yeast
1 dl milk
1c. tea salt
8 eggs
1 dl oil
1 dl brandy
oil for frying
sugar
ground cinnamon
20 g yeast
1 dl milk
1c. tea salt
8 eggs
1 dl oil
1 dl brandy
oil for frying
sugar
ground cinnamon
1st. Dissolve the yeast in warm milk and
joins it a little flour and salt. Mix to
obtain a soft dough.
Allow to stand for 15 minutes.
2nd. Pour the dough in a bowl, add a little olive oil and three beaten eggs. Mix everything well, hitting with the hand open.
3rd. Then join the remaining olive oil, brandy and eggs left, kneading, or better, beating the batter. This should be milder than for bread. If necessary, add a little milk.
4th. Cover the dough with a cloth and allowed it to ferment for 4 hours in a climate temperature.
5th. Then, put the oil for frying in a deep skillet (the ones you normally use for French fries) on medium heat.
With your hands wetted, with olive oil, take off pieces of dough, about the size of an egg, stretch the dough in to a round slice as thin as possible, making holes with the fingertips.
6th. Put the “donut” in the oil in the skillet and with a fork, force the dough to stay in shape for the sides, stretching it, because there is a tendency to grow up.
7th. After cook on both sides, (when ins in a golden color) remove and drain the excess of oil on paper towels. This should be done with caution, because the “donut” is hot and presents themselves thin and bumpy.
8th. Sprinkling with sugar and cinnamon.
2nd. Pour the dough in a bowl, add a little olive oil and three beaten eggs. Mix everything well, hitting with the hand open.
3rd. Then join the remaining olive oil, brandy and eggs left, kneading, or better, beating the batter. This should be milder than for bread. If necessary, add a little milk.
4th. Cover the dough with a cloth and allowed it to ferment for 4 hours in a climate temperature.
5th. Then, put the oil for frying in a deep skillet (the ones you normally use for French fries) on medium heat.
With your hands wetted, with olive oil, take off pieces of dough, about the size of an egg, stretch the dough in to a round slice as thin as possible, making holes with the fingertips.
6th. Put the “donut” in the oil in the skillet and with a fork, force the dough to stay in shape for the sides, stretching it, because there is a tendency to grow up.
7th. After cook on both sides, (when ins in a golden color) remove and drain the excess of oil on paper towels. This should be done with caution, because the “donut” is hot and presents themselves thin and bumpy.
8th. Sprinkling with sugar and cinnamon.
Note: Contrary to what usually happens with fried food these “donuts” get softer as the days pass by.
