CHRUSTCHIKI   -- CHRUST FAWORKI

 (This recipe is adapted from a book Gramma Rose Sienkewicz gave us: The Art of Polish Cooking, Alina Zeranska, Doubleday & Company, 1968. p. 306, “Favors” (Chrust-Faworki)

2 medium eggs

3 egg yolks

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup confectioner’s sugar

2 cups all purpose flour (plus enough more to knead the dough)

¼ cup vodka

¼ cup soft butter

vegetable oil to fry

confectioner’s sugar for dusting

Beat the eggs and egg yolks with salt until creamy. Add the ½ cup powdered sugar and beat some more. Add flour, vodka and butter and knead for 10 minutes to form a manageable dough.  Cover the dough & allow to rest for 10-15 minutes.

Roll out a small portion of the dough at a time, keeping the rest covered so it does not dry out. Collect and reroll any scraps until all the dough is used up.

Roll out dough as thin as possible on a lightly floured surface. Cut into strips, about one inch wide and three inches long. Cut a 1 inch lengthwise hole in the center of each strip and gently pull one end of the strip through it, so that the strip is twisted into a bow knot form. If you are working alone, it is a good idea to form all your strips, laying them on a floured surface (such as a tray or baking sheet), covering them lightly with waxed paper or a clean dish towel until all are ready. Do not left them touch, as they will stick together.

Heat about 1 inch depth of vegetable oil in a large, deep frying pan. When a scrap of dough dropped into the fat rises to the top & browns briskly, but does not burn or smoke, your oil is hot enough. Fry the strips in the oil, a few at a time – DO NOT CROWD THEM – turning to cook the second side until both sides are golden brown. Have a roasting pan or other large flat surface lined with paper towels. Remove the strips from the hot oil with a slotted spoon and lay the browned strips on the paper towels to drain and cool.

To serve, place the cooled chrustchiki on a serving dish and sprinkle with confectioners sugar, preferably vanilla flavored. (Bury a split vanilla bean in the confectioners sugar for a couple of days first.)