yes, apple donuts- perhaps this should have been posted way back in the autumn, but i made them rather recently, and i still found them to be quite delicious even in mid december. they’re delectable to be honest, and they’re possibly the simplest instant gratification one can get through means of frying something. i’m sorry i haven’t been around too much in the past few weeks- and i can’t promise i’ll be around in the upcoming weeks either. exams begin tomorrow and end of thursday, weather taken into consideration. and then a brief trip down south, with lots of family time, and gift giving. xmas eve will be full of cooking and prepping for our christmas dinner. i just really wanted to say hello though and tell you all that i miss this outlet dearly. come december 28th, i’ll be blogging regularly, seeing as its a new year’s resolution. until then, this ought to tie you over. maybe an easy scallion pancake recipe will also meander on here over the course of this week too… we shall see.
dough
one and a half tbsp of oil
fifteen oz of luke warm water
four cups all purpose flour
one tsp salt
one tbsp active dry yeast
one tbsp sugar (+ a little more for good measure)
filling
two or three apples (pink ladies preferably) cored and peeled, chopped finely
one fourth cup sugar
miscellaneous
oil (i used canola) to fill the bottom of a heavy iron pan
and flour to dust work area and hands with
sift dry ingredients for dough into large bowl, omit yeast. add the oil into the dry mixture, and then add the yeast on top. next add the lukewarm water and mix thoroughly until a dough ball of sorts is formed. cover the bowl with either saran wrap or a dish towel, and store bowl someplace dark and warm for two hours. (i stored mine in an unheated oven)
while waiting for the dough to rise, prep the apples, and put into bowl. add the sugar, and refrigerate until dough is done rising.
when the dough is done, flour your work surface and your hands, and work with the dough, kneading it to warm it properly. during this time, the dough will continue rising, this is normal mind you. remember to continuously flour your hands and work surface to prevent sticking. when the dough is nice and kneaded, begin rolling it out into a long log and let it sit on the board for about ten minutes. again, your dough will rise.
begin cutting pieces about 1/2″ thick off and put aside. when all slices are cut, flatten each out into a 3 or 4 inch pancake, and put a pinch of sugar and a scoop of sugar in the center of the dough pancake. then gather the dough and mold into a ball. do this with all pieces of dough. when this process is done, you can flatten each ball out to look like a thick pancake, or you can keep them in small balls.
while working on the dough, i suggest letting your oil heat up. don’t use olive oil, for the flavor is too strong. when the oil is about three hundred degrees, put the piroshki into the pot and fry until golden brown- make sure the dough is thoroughly cooked. when piroshki are done frying, place on paper towel to let dry and cool, and sprinkle generously with sugar. best served with coffee. OH, if eaten the next day, the apples release a liquid that acts as a glaze which makes these piroshkis even more heavenly.
enjoy and eat responsibly.
