Fat Tuesday, Who knows what Fastnachts are?

[T. Erdelyi]

Here's a recipe for Fastnachts, a Pennsylvania Dutch fried potato donut for Fat Tuesday.

If you've never had them they are sinfully good, that's why you eat them on Fat Tuesday the last free day before Lent.

I'm on my way to pick some up before they are all sold out.

Fastnachts are raised doughnuts, and are made practically as many different ways as there are different cooks. Everyone has their own way of "preparing" them, too. Some of the more popular ways are??.

cut it in half and butter it
cut it in half and pour Turkey, King or Maple syrup over it
cut it in half and sprinkle powdered sugar on it
my family, does all three.
This is NOT a low-fat treat. If you're looking for something good for you, this isn't it. If you're looking for something absolutely delicious, this is it. The story, from what I could gather, is ?.. Fastnacht Day is on Shrove Tuesday, that is, the day before Ash Wednesday when lent starts. Lent is a time of fasting, and the dutch thought the day before should be spent eating "rich" to sort of store it up for lent. I remember when I was a child, I helped my Aunt in the kitchen making them, I smelled like Fastnachts for days. In this area, church groups make dozens of them and sell them. They're delicious!!!



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Fastnachts - recipe 1

For the sponge:

1 cake yeast
2 c. lukewarm water
4 scant c. sifted flour
Before bed, break and soak yeast in lukewarm water for 20 minutes. Mix with flour to a thick batter. Cover and let rise in warm place overnight until doubled.

For the dough:

1/2 c. shortening
3/8 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
5 c. or more of flour
In the morning cream together the shortening, sugar and salt. Add this to the risen sponge, with the beaten eggs and spice. Stir in as much flour as mixture will take up readily, making a rather soft dough. Mix well. Let rise until doubled in bulk. If desired, stir down and let rise again until nearly doubled. Turn onto floured board, pat or roll until 1/3 inch thick and cut with doughnut cutter. Cover to prevent drying and let rise until doubled. Fry in deep hot fat about 375 degrees. If you don't have a thermometer, test temp with 1 inch square of bread, which should brown in 1 minute.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Fastnachts - recipe 2

2 1/2 c. hot mashed potatoes
1 c. milk
3 beaten eggs
2 Tbsp. melted butter
2 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. Baking powder
5 c. all purpose flour
In a large bowl combine all ingredients, but add flour slowly. Divide dough in half and roll to 1/2" thickness. Cut with doughnut cutter. Fry in deep fat or oil, turning when brown. Drain on paper towels and let cool.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Fastnachts - recipe 3

1 pkg. dry yeast
1/4 c. warm water
1 tsp. sugar
3 c. flour
2 c. milk (scalded and cooled)
3 eggs, well beaten
1/4 c. melted butter
1 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
4 c. flour
Soften yeast in water and add 1 tsp. Sugar to milk, stir. Stir in yeast. Cover and let rise in warm place till doubled. Stir in eggs, butter, remaining sugar, salt, nutmeg and enough flour so mixture can no longer be stirred with a spoon. Cover and let rise till double. Punch down dough and divide in 2 portions. On a floured board roll out to 1/2" thickness, cut with doughnut cutter (or large glass), place on trays and let rise till doubled. Fry in deep fat until brown, turn to brown other side. Drain on paper towels. Makes about 4 dozen.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Fastnachts - recipe 4

2 pkgs. yeast
2 c. milk
2 eggs
2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
7 1/2 c. flour
Dissolve yeast in 1/2 c. warm water. Scald milk and let cool. Add butter, salt and sugar. Let stand 10 minutes. Add eggs and 3 c. flour. Stir in remaining flour until soft dough is formed. Knead a few minutes on a floured board. Place in bowl and let rise till double, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down with hands and roll to 1/2" thickness. Cut in squares or with a doughnut cutter or large glass. Cover and let rise until double in size. Drop in hot fat, brown on each side. Drain.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Fastnachts - recipe 5

3 pkg. yeast in 1 c. warm water
2 c. sugar
2 c. flour
2 c. mashed potatoes
3 c. of water potatoes were cooked in
Mix together and let rise 1/2 hour then, add?

2 c. sugar
3 c. milk
6 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 c. melted shortening
1 Tbsp. salt
flour to stiffen
Let rise and cut with cutter or large glass. Let rise again. Fry in hot fat until both sides are brown. Drain. Makes 8 dozen.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Fastnachts - recipe 6

1 c. milk scalded and cooled
1 pkg. dry yeast
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 c. sifted flour
Sprinkle yeast on milk, let stand 5 minutes. Stir in sugar and flour and beat until smooth. Let rise.

Mix:

1/4 c. butter or margarine
3/4 c. sugar
2 beaten eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
2-3 c. flour
4-5 medium potatoes
Cook potatoes and mash, water and all. Beat with eggs, butter, sugar and salt until smooth. Mix with first mixture and work in flour. Let raise until double. Punch down and let raise 10 minutes more. Roll out on floured board. Cut into squares. Let rise and fry in deep fat until both sides are brown. Drain.



Recipes #2,3,4,5 & 6 are courtesy of Marylin at my church.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Fastnachts - recipe 7 - Great-Grandmoms Fastnachts

2 med. Potatoes, diced & cooked in 2 c. water, reserve water
2 beaten eggs
2 c milk, scalded and slightly cool
2 pkg. dry yeast
1 1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
12 c. flour
Mash potatoes very well, and add the potato water to make 2 cups, set aside. Add 2 pkgs yeast to the warm milk and stir until dissolved. In the largest bowl you have, add sugar, oil, salt, vanilla and all 12 c. of flour. Mix well and put out on a floured counter top or table. Knead well, add more flour if needed so it doesn't stick to your hands. Flour the bowl and put dough back in. Cover with a cloth or towel and let rise. When it about doubles, punch it down and let it rise again. Do that 3 times (this may be done overnight). In the morning, knead dough thoroughly again, cut it in 3 pieces and roll out about 1/2" thick, cut with a knife in 2" x 3" blocks, cut a slit in each one and pull apart slightly. Place on floured cloth and cover. Let rise till doubles in size. Fry in hot fat at 350 degrees till brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

To make this into bread, put dough in loaf pans and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Fill loaf pans only 1/2 to 3/4 full.

 

[MelancholyMutt]

Hey Dude,
Isn't that some cranky old guy named Dan out near Seattle?

 

[Point44]

Isn't that glockman?

 

[tarsier]

In this area, church groups make dozens of them and sell them.

Are the church groups mostly Mennonites? They make some excellent baked goods and breakfast sausage.

I haven't had fastnachts, but they sound good. I'd probably put honey and cinnamon on them.

 

[glockman99]

Hey Dude,
Isn't that some cranky old guy named Dann out near Seattle?

It's Aberdeen...About 105 miles SSW of Seattle.....(And MY name doesn't have 2 "t's" in it.).

Actually, in German, my last name does mean something like "Mardi Gras", although the direct translation means something like "strong night" or "barrel night".

 

[underaged!]

They're called Malasadas here. Never got any today.

 

[maximus otter]

Deeeelicious!

maximus otter

 

[JR42]

They're called Malasadas here. Never got any today.

Hi underaged!, I was lucky enough to have a few (actually a LOT) of malasadas this holiday season. I liked them more than Krispy Kreme donuts- they're delicious!

Fastnachts are raised doughnuts, and are made practically as many different ways as there are different cooks. Everyone has their own way of "preparing" them, too. Some of the more popular ways are??.

cut it in half and butter it
cut it in half and pour Turkey, King or Maple syrup over it
cut it in half and sprinkle powdered sugar on it
my family, does all three.

Ummm... do I want to know what Turkey Syrup is?


Jeremy

EDIT- I googled it and, disappointingly, turkey syrup is NOT made out of turkeys.

 

[silenthunterstudios]

I am part Lithuanian and part Blackfoot indian, among other things, but my two favorite ethnic foods are bleenies and fry bread. My grandmother and her sisters make the best bleenies (potato pancakes, sort of) around, although you can order some up in the mountains of PA where they're from. As for fry bread, many indian tribes ate this, it's unbelievably good with fresh strawberries on top! It's no wonder American Indians and eastern Europeans have diabetes etc . Still, good food. If you are ever at a Lithuanian/Latvian/Estonian festival, get the bleenies! If you ever go to the powwow, or the local reservation restaurant, try the frybread!

 

[silenthunterstudios]

JR42, take heart, Jones Cola makes a turkey gravy flavored soda that comes out around Thanksgiving :barf:

 

[JR42]

Ha! I'd forgotten about that. I'll look for it next November.

Jeremy

 

[underaged!]

Oh, there was a bakery across the street from where I worked in the summer (Champion Bakery). They had these chocolate pudding malasadas. Damn, they were da bomb! The serve it cold (it's ok, take it easy), the outside is still crispy, and they inject it with the pudding! and drissle chocolate on top!

They stick it in a bag, so the chocolate on top, smears all over the place. :barf: But it's all good!

 

[maximus otter]

my two favorite ethnic foods are bleenies and fry bread.

You mean blinis.

"Blinis originated in Russia and are traditionally made with buckwheat flour, but I find them better and lighter if made with a mixture of strong plain flour and buckwheat. Buckwheat is available in health food shops and some supermarkets, but if you can't get hold of it you can replace it with wholewheat flour."

Serves 8 as a starter

2 oz (50 g) buckwheat flour

6 oz (175 g) strong white plain flour

1 level teaspoon salt

6 g easy-blend dried yeast

7 fl oz (200 ml) crème fraîche

8 fl oz (225 ml) whole milk

2 large eggs, separated

11/2 oz (40 g) butter

For the topping:

1 lb (450 g) smoked salmon

10 1/2 fl oz (300 ml) crème fraîche

A few dill sprigs

"Begin by sifting the buckwheat flour, plain flour and salt together into a large roomy bowl and then sprinkle in the yeast. Place 7 fl oz (200 ml) of the crème fraîche into a measuring jug and add enough milk to bring it up to the 15 fl oz (425 ml) level. Place this in a small saucepan and warm it gently – it must only be slightly warm, as too much heat will kill the yeast. Next add the egg yolks to the milk, mix them in with a whisk and after that pour the whole lot into the flour mixture. Whisk everything until you have a thick batter, then cover the bowl with a clean tea cloth and leave it in a warm place for about 1 hour – this can simply be a matter of placing the bowl in another larger bowl filled with warm water.

After 1 hour the batter will be spongy and bubbly, now you whisk up the egg whites until they form stiff peaks and gently fold them into the batter. Cover with the cloth again and leave as before for another hour.

When you're ready to make the blinis, begin by melting the butter in a heavy-based frying pan, then tip the melted butter out into a cup and use it with the help of a tightly rolled wodge of kitchen paper to brush the pan all over as you make each blini. To do this, keep the pan on a medium heat and add 11/2 tablespoons of batter – (1 tablespoon goes in first, then another 1/2 tablespoon on top) – it won't spread out much and the underneath sets as soon as it touches the pan. This amount should give you a blini about 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter.

Don't worry at this stage if it looks too thick, it isn't, it's just light and puffy. After 40 seconds, no longer, flip the blini over and give it just 30 seconds on the other side. Transfer it to a wire cooling-rack and repeat, brushing the pan with butter each time. This mixture should give you 24 blinis.

When all the blinis are made and have cooled, wrap them in foil parcels, with 6 laid out flat in each one. To serve, pre-heat the oven to gas mark 1, 275°F (140°C) and place the foil parcels on a high shelf for 10 minutes.

Serve the blinis on warm plates, giving each person 2 to start with, and top with slices of smoked salmon, about 2 oz (50 g) per person, add a tablespoon of very cold crème fraîche on the side of the plate and garnish with sprigs of fresh dill."

(Recipe courtesy of Delia Smith).

maximus otter

 

[silenthunterstudios]

My nana does a helluva job with potatoes, that's the only way I've had them. Any good restaurants have them in central PA, MD or DE?