Churros

Although churros are by no means exclusive to Madrid, they may have originated here. No open-air festival would be complete without its churrería stall, or at least a hawker wearing white cuffs and carrying a basket of freshly-fried fritters. They are long thin strips of fluted dough fried to form loops. If thicker and straight, they are called porras, and if in the shape of a ring or hollow ball, buñuelos.

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 20 min.

Cook Time: 5 min.

Ingredients:

17 fl oz water

9 oz sifted flour

1 tsp salt

Plenty of oil for frying

Sugar (optional)

Churro maker

Preparation:

Bring the salted water to a boil in a high-sided pot. When it starts to boil, pour in all the flour and mix with a wooden spatula over the heat until a consistent, even dough is formed. Remove from the heat and continue to work the dough with the same spatula. When completely smooth, fill the churrera, a large tin or brass syringe that has a variety of nozzles and several handles to grip it while pressing the dough through.

Heat the oil to 375 degrees F in a large frying pan and drop in strips of dough forming loops. Cook as many as will fit without touching each other. After 3-4 minutes, when golden, remove with a slotted spoon or a spike and leave to drain in a colander or on kitchen paper. Serve hot, sprinkled with sugar if desired.

Selected by María Jesús Gil de Antuñano
Recipe courtesy of Spain GourmeTour magazine.