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Mekitsi
Bulgarian fried yogurt dough puffs with icing sugar and jam
Mekitsi are the Sunday morning treat of Bulgarian childhoods: in towns like Veliko Tarnovo and Gabrovo they are fried at home or bought from stalls by the dozen, puffy, uneven rounds of yogurt dough that come out of the oil crisp outside and soft and airy inside. They are eaten hot, dusted with icing sugar or spread with jam, honey or sirene, with a cup of tea or ayran. Chef's tip: stretch the dough with oiled hands rather than flour, and keep the oil at a steady medium heat; oil that's too hot is the usual mistake and leaves them dark outside and doughy in the middle.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 12 ½ oz plain flour
- ¼ cup sparkling water
For frying
- 3 cups sunflower oil
To serve
- 3 tbsp icing sugar
- 5 ½ oz apricot or rose jam (optional)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Stir 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda into 9 oz full-fat plain yogurt and leave until it foams, about 3 minutes.
3 minStep 2: Beat in 1 egg, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar and ¼ cup sparkling water, then mix in 12 ½ oz plain flour to make a very soft, sticky dough. Cover and rest for 15 minutes.
15 minStep 3: Heat 3 cups sunflower oil in a deep pan over a medium heat to about 350°F, when a small piece of dough sizzles and rises within a few seconds.
6 minStep 4: With oiled hands, pull off pieces the size of an egg and stretch them into thin, uneven rounds about 12 cm across.
5 minStep 5: Fry 2–3 at a time, turning once, until puffed and golden on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Drain on kitchen paper.
15 minStep 6: Dust with 3 tbsp icing sugar and serve hot with 5 ½ oz apricot or rose jam.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 350 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 50 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mekitsi take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of full-fat plain yogurt?
- Sour cream or buttermilk, same amount.
- What can I use instead of egg?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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