Pittule

Ingredients:

5 lbs. flour
3 packets of dry yeast
3 TBS salt
2 TBS sugar
1/2 gallon Mazola Oil
Powdered sugar (for garnish)
1 can Anchovies (optional)

Directions:

Add flour, sugar and salt to a BIG bowl
Dissolve yeast as directed on the packet(use 1/4 warm water and 1 tsp sugar per packet)
Add the dissolved yeast to the flour mixture and knead the dough for about 10 minutes gradually adding 7 cups of water (dough should be smooth, no lumps or bumps)
Then put the dough into a mixer to mix
Put dough in a large bowl/container
Cover and let rise (in a warm spot - out of drafts) for 30-45 min
Heat oil slowly in a 4qt deep saucepot (pot should be 1/2 full)
Place small amount of room temp oil in small bowl; you'll need to moisten your fingers before handling the dough
When oil is very hot, lower heat to a simmer and form doughnut shaped pittule and fry, using a long wooden stick to prevent dough from closing up, frying each side until browned
Drain pittule in colander

*For some strange reason, the first pittule always takes too long, so we discard that one as it absorbs too much oil

*When frying, it is easier if one person handles the dough while the other person stands ready with a wooden stick to form doughnut shape and remove pittule when done

*The 4qt saucepot can hold 3 pittule, so don't make them too large. You could use a Dutch oven, but you'd need more oil in order to fry

*If you don't want the doughnut shape, you can just fry balls

*For pittule with anchovies fold anchovies into the dough, into a ball and then drop them in to fry