Awamat: Lebanese Crisp Doughnut Balls

Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 10 mins | Total: 25 mins | Servings: 10 to 15 servings | Yield: 15 to 20 doughnuts

These sweet treats from Lebanon called awamat are perfect for any occasion. Small balls of dough are fried until golden brown and crispy, and then coated with simple syrup. Make sure you make enough of these to go around—there's no way you can eat just one!

By Saad Fayed

Ingredients

3 cups pastry flour

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

2 1/2 cups water

Olive oil, for frying

Simple syrup, for topping

Steps to Make It

1. In a large bowl, mix pastry flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.

2. Slowly add the water and mix until a dough forms.

3. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead well for 5 to 7 minutes, until it is shiny and soft and slightly sticky.

4. Spoon dough by the teaspoonful and form ball shapes with your hands. If the dough is sticking to your hands or spoons, lightly oil them to prevent stickiness. Do not use water. Water will naturally sink in the oil pan due to density difference. Then the water will vaporize instantly into steam, causing the oil to splatter because the steam is trying to escape. This is very dangerous so make sure not to introduce any water into the hot oil. Place on a plate once completed.

5. In a frying pan, add enough olive oil so that dough will be submerged. Heat oil until 375 F. A good tip for testing the temperature if you don't have a deep-fry thermometer is to place the end of a wooden spoon into the oil; if you see small bubbles form around the spoon then the oil is sufficiently hot.

6. Carefully place the dough balls into the oil, only a few at a time. (Do not crowd the pan.) When the doughnuts are cooked they will rise to the top of the oil and be golden brown.

7. Remove the doughnuts from the oil using a slotted spoon and place on a plate covered with a paper towel to absorb excess oil. Let cool a bit until easy to handle.

8. Drizzle with simple syrup and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Tips

- Simple syrup is just a combination of water and sugar. For these doughnuts, and perhaps other desserts, you can combine 2 parts sugar to 1 part water. All you need to do to make simple syrup is dissolve the sugar in boiling water and then let simmer for about 10 minutes or so.

- Place it in a bottle with a tight-fitting lid and keep it in a cool, dark place. It is also perfect for soaking cake layers (a good trick when they have dried out) or for making candied fruits.

- Once you add flavor to the syrup, the recipe options increase greatly. From strawberry, cinnamon, and mint to florals like rose and lavender, these basic combinations are an easy way to bring other flavor dimensions to any recipe.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

315 Calories | 20g Fat | 30g Carbs | 5g Protein