Ingredients
Dough
- 500 gplain flour
- 400 mlwarm water
- 8 ginstant yeast
- 1 tspsalt
- 1 tspsugar
To fry
- oil, for shallow frying, about 2 cm deep
The egg
- 8eggs, one per piece
To serve
- honey or date syrup
- sugar
- harissa or filfel chuma, for the savoury version
- sweet mint tea
Directions
- Mix the flour, yeast, salt and sugar, then add the water all at once. This will look far too wet to be right, and it is meant to.
- Beat it with your hand or a wooden spoon for 5 minutes rather than kneading it. That beating develops the gluten in a dough too wet to knead on a surface, and the dough should become stretchy and elastic. Cover it and prove 2 hours until it is bubbly, risen and full of air. Do not knock it back.
- Heat about 2 cm of oil in a wide pan to 175°C (345°F). Shallow oil rather than deep, because the egg has to sit on top of the dough without sliding off into the fryer. Pull off a handful of dough and let it hang, stretching under its own weight.
- Crack the egg on as soon as the dough has puffed and set on the underside, or it slides straight off into the oil. Spoon a little hot oil over the egg white to help it set.
- Cook for 2 minutes, until the base is deep golden and the egg white has turned opaque. The yolk should still be soft, and that runny yolk against the fried dough is the entire dish.
- Turn it with two spatulas or with tongs, and expect to lose one while you learn. Lift it out and drain it briefly. Serve it immediately, while the yolk is still running. It goes soft within minutes, so sfinz is eaten standing at the counter or carried home fast.
- Serve it sweet, with honey or sugar over the top, or savoury with harissa or filfel chuma. Both are ordinary in Libya, and many people have the egg with hot sauce and a second piece with honey.
Technique
- The Moroccan sfenj is the same fried dough without the egg, usually ring-shaped.
- Libyan shops fry them continuously through the morning and stop by mid-morning.
- The dough can be proved overnight in the fridge for more flavour.
Substitutions
- Strong bread flour, which handles the wet dough slightly better.
- A wide non-stick pan if you are nervous about turning them.
Variations
- Without the egg, as plain sfenj rolled in sugar.
- With harissa or filfel chuma, savoury.
- With tuna and harissa, in the Tunisian manner.
History
A Tripoli and Benghazi breakfast fried in shallow pans at neighbourhood shops; the egg is broken over the dough as it puffs in the oil.
Frequently asked questions
What is Sfinz?
Sfinz is a breakfast from Libya: yeasted fried dough disc with an egg cracked onto it, eaten with honey. A Tripoli and Benghazi breakfast fried in shallow pans at neighbourhood shops; the egg is broken over the dough as it puffs in the oil.
How long does Sfinz take to make?
Sfinz takes 20 min plus 2 hr rising of preparation and 20 min of cooking. The recipe makes 8 pieces. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Sfinz?
Yes, within limits. Strong bread flour, which handles the wet dough slightly better. A wide non-stick pan if you are nervous about turning them.
What is the most important thing to get right in Sfinz?
Beat it with your hand or a wooden spoon for 5 minutes rather than kneading it. That beating develops the gluten in a dough too wet to knead on a surface, and the dough should become stretchy and elastic. Cover it and prove 2 hours until it is bubbly, risen and full of air. Do not knock it back.
