When we started this project, we envisioned an overview of fried breads
from around the world with a handful of accompanying recipes. We soon
realized that this was a project with no end, that every culture seems
to have fried breads with never ending iterations. We ended up with
a sampling of breads. We hope that this whets your appetite. Do a
little research and experimenting. Fried breads are wonderful—especially
in the summertime when we may not want the oven on.
North America
Pancakes
and waffles are the most popular fried breads in North America. Typically
served for breakfast or brunch they can also be made as savory cakes
and served with sauces for lunch or dinner. (Get
a free 25-page pancake guide.)
There are many
other variations of fried breads in America. Of course, many donuts
and pastries are fried and therefore qualify as fried breads. Yeasted
dough is fried at home or sold in food stands, carnivals, and fairs.
Yeasted fried bread is often called fried dough and in some areas
of the country, scones. These are usually served with butter and syrup
or honey or dusted with powdered sugar. Fried yeasted bread is also
known as elephant ears, flying saucers, and in Canada, beavertails.
In Mexican restaurants
in the United States, you will often find fried bread served as sopadillas
though they are unknown in Mexico. These breads can be made with yeast
or baking powder and are deep fried.
There
is also a history of fried bread among the American Natives. When
the American Indians were located to reservations in the 1800’s,
they were often in dire straits and learned to make bread from not
much more than flour and water. From this came their style of fry
bread. The dough is pressed flat and can be leavened with either yeast
or baking powder. Often these bread pieces are topped with beans,
ground beef, salsa, and cheese to make Indian or Navajo tacos.
Central
and South America
While Mexicans
may not have sopadillas, the Chileans do. Theirs are often from a
dough including pumpkin or squash. Sopadillas are also popular in
Argentina though these may be baked in an adobe oven, not fried. Both
wheat and corn flours are used in these South American sapodillas.
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South American
sopadillas are used as either side dishes or desserts. For side dishes,
they are often salty. For desserts, they are sweetened with cinnamon
and maybe a little orange.
Buñuelos
are made in Latin America. Traditionally, they are pretzel-shaped
and covered in anise caramel or served with a cinnamon and sugar topping.
Churros originated in Spain but are popular in Latin America and the
Caribbean. They have found their way to the United States and can
be found in Hispanic neighborhoods and ball parks and fairs.
Churros are extruded
through a nozzle creating an eight-pointed star. They’re fried
to a crispy consistency as doughnuts are and can be straight or twisted.
Depending on the size and sweetness, churros are used as a sweet snack
or a dessert.
Scotland
Bannock originated
in Scotland but like so many fry breads, has evolved considerably.
Traditionally, a bannock was an oatcake but in Eastern Canada where
bannock is quite popular, it is made with wheat flour.
Bannock was a
staple for Western and Canadian fur traders, the bread that accompanied
their pemmican. Today, bannock works for backpackers and canoeists.
For these campers, the flour, baking powder, and oatmeal are mixed
in a bag before leaving home with dried fruits and nuts added. At
camp, enough water is added to make a stiff dough, the dough is shaped
into patties and fried. If you are going to do some camping, consider
making a bannock mix.
Italy
Zeppole
are small, light, fried cakes from Italy. These sweet cakes are sold
on the streets, given as gifts, and consumed on holidays. They can
be filled with custard, jelly, or honey-butter and covered with powdered
sugar.
We looked at a
number of recipes, many of which were too complicated for the home
baker. The following recipe is easy though maybe not authentic. Authentic
or not, these are decadently good.
Eastern
Europe
Crepes
are thin pancakes that originated in Eastern Europe but have migrated
to America. They can be made in a frying pan though if you use a specially
made pan intended for crepes, it’s a little easier. Crepes are
filled with cheese and sometimes fruit fillings to make blintzes.
India
Chapatti
is an unleavened griddle bread similar to pita bread. In India it
is cooked on a special griddle called a tava and held over a fire
so that steam within the bread puffs it up. The result is a puffy
disc of flat bread. Of course, we didn’t have a tava or a fire
in our test kitchen so we improvised. Our version may not be authentic
but it is so quick and easy, it’s worth making.
Chapatti is made
from whole grain durum flour. We used a mixture of stone ground whole
wheat and all purpose flours. We anglicized the recipe further by
adding a touch of sugar.
In India, Chapatti
is a complement to vegetables, stews, and other dishes. We buttered
them. Katie, our teenage daughter, walked in during the session and
promptly found some jam to smear on them. She graduated to hot buttered
chapatti sprinkled with plenty of cinnamon and sugar and declared
them scrumptious.
Portugal
Portuguese
fry bread is a made with baking powder but is quite similar to the
yeasted fry breads that we find in the US. Because it is made with
baking powder, it is quick and easy.
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