The Pétrin

Since my childhood I have with the fritters a love story, a mixture of pleasure and taste of happy memories and moving history that I continue to write for my pleasure and that of others through my round of donuts world particularly active during the holidays of Hanukkah.
Whenever my virtual wanderings intersect fritter recipe traditional, original or unusual, I must put aside for the test as soon as possible even if the notion of time becomes more flexible with the days still too short.
But this recipe it was not just added to the list: I have placed at the top and as soon as the "donut season began, it was natural to her that I switched.
Because it had everything to please me: beauty (usually) of the picture Paoletti who I have discovered, because the moving story that also responsible for childhood memories of Eleonora offering on his blog the recipe to the letter from his mother ( "attempts my graff, the recipe is guaranteed!"), the recipe itself close to that of bomboloni but with more mellow with the potato and its origin doubly symbolic me: the Italian with whom I have always been an emotional relationship and Naples, synonymous with memories of holidays and friendship.
If by chance, you - ragazzi di Ponticelli - or your wife, girlfriend, sister ... go here, this recipe is dedicated ... Toni, Gaetano, Sergio, Lilo, Luigi, Nando ecc ...
Not to mention Susan for his column Yeastspotting

(for a fortnight De Graff)

Crush the potatoes boiled and peeled with a press or mashed in order to obtain a smooth puree. Cool if you make them.

Note: if you do not have potatoes, you can replace them with dehydrated mashed potatoes and even the potato starch. In these circumstances, substitute mashed 230g per 45g of flakes (or starch) potatoes over 185g of water (according to calculations based on data from Rose Levy Beranbaum)

In a large bowl, the bowl of a robot or tank MAP paid flour (mixed with the dry yeast is that if you are using) mashed potatoes, fresh crumbled yeast, sugar , eggs, soft butter into small chunks and perfume. Add salt and mix the ingredients by adding the milk gradually to form a fairly soft dough.

Knead the dough for a good twenty minutes, adding the flour in small quantities if the dough is really soft and continues to stick to the walls: at the end of kneading the dough should be smooth, silky, soft but elastic enough . Cover with film food and let rise 30 to 45 min.

Transfer the dough gently on a work flour and fold 2 or 3 times on itself to deflate a little. Divide into pieces of about 65g and ring shape in flour with hands.

Note: the shaping ring is done in 2 ways, the pulp flange connected to the ends or ball breakthrough in the center. Personally, I am a follower of the second method detailed here.

Place the rings on a work plan on a meal or squares of parchment paper size slightly greater than the donuts prepared in advance.

Note: The dough is very soft, the squares of paper used to transfer the cakes one by one in the bath of frying - the donut once deposited on the surface of the oil, parchment paper is off by itself. If hot oil scares you, place the fritters on a work very flour and use the pastry cutter or a large spatula (spatula type hamburger) for transfer to the oil without deforming or deflate

Cover with a clean cloth and let stand 1 hour or as long as the graff double in volume.

Approximately 5 to 10 min (depending on the type of fire) before the time of rest fritters, heat the oil in a large deep fryer or other large container and senior sides.
Fry the fritters when the oil is sufficiently hot (175 ° C if you have a thermometer) or when a small piece of dough or bread dipped in oil immediately back surface surrounded by small bubbles without browning too quickly.
Let brown on one side before returning to complete the donut cooking then drain on absorbent paper.

Sprinkle with sugar meal or filling fritters warm with the cream cake or otherwise.