Fagots are thin strips of unleavened dough of free form, deep-fried. They got their name for the characteristic crunch that accompanies the process of eating them, which can be compared with the same sound that a dry brush makes if it is broken.
Monks began to cook brushwood in Greece, since the set of products for it is minimal, and their composition does not go beyond the lenten menu.
Dishes similar to brushwood are found in both European and Asian cuisine. Therefore, this dish can be considered truly international.
The dough for brushwood should be very elastic, so you do not need to abuse the amount of water when preparing it. In order to make the brushwood crispy, it is recommended to add a small amount of cognac, rum or vodka to it. Roll out the dough very thinly and cut into arbitrary strips no more than 2 cm thick or make various shapes out of it.
The amount of sugar should not be very large, as in this case, the brushwood may darken during frying.
You need to fry brushwood in a large amount of refined, ghee or animal fat. Frying brushwood in butter or margarine is not recommended, as these products foam a lot during cooking.
You need to serve brushwood by sprinkling it with icing sugar or pouring it with honey.
Village brushwood
Ingredients:
- Egg – 3 pcs.
- Flour – 150 gr.
- Vegetable oil – for frying
- Strong alcohol – 1 tbsp. l.
- Powdered sugar – for dusting
Separate the yolks from 2 eggs, mix them with one egg and a spoonful of alcohol.
Gradually add flour and mix thoroughly, the result should be a very elastic dough.
Leave the dough for half an hour, then roll out a very thin layer from it, which must be cut into strips or squeezed out of forms.
Heat vegetable oil in a deep dish or deep fryer, put the dough in it in small portions.
Fry until golden brown.
Spread the brushwood on a dish with a napkin to absorb excess fat and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Brushwood on kefir
Ingredients:
- Kefir – 1/2 tbsp.
- Sour cream – 1 Art. l
- Flour – 2,5 Art.
- Sugar – 1 st. l.
- Salt – to taste
- Egg – 3 pcs.
- Soda – 1/4 tsp.
- Vegetable oil – for frying
- Strong alcohol – 1 tbsp. l.
- Powdered sugar – for dusting
Separate from the yolks from the eggs. Mix kefir, yolks and sour cream. Add sugar, salt and soda slaked with lemon juice or essence to them. Stir and gradually add flour. The dough should be very thick and firm.
Leave it for half an hour, then roll out a very thin layer and cut out strips of arbitrary shape from it.
Heat oil in a deep bowl or deep fryer. Fry the brushwood in small batches until golden brown. Spread the brushwood on a dish covered with a paper napkin to absorb moisture and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Honey brushwood
Ingredients:
- Flour – 1,5 Art.
- Water – 1 tbsp.
- Vegetable oil for the dough – 2 tbsp. l.
- Butter – 50 gr.
- Honey – 2 Art. l
- Sugar – 2 st. l.
- Salt – to taste
- Vegetable oil – for frying
Mix vegetable oil, sugar, salt, water and gradually add flour to make a tough elastic dough. Roll out the dough into a thin layer, cut into strips from it.
Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or deep dish. Fry brushwood until golden brown.
Place the brushwood on a dish covered with a paper towel to absorb excess fat. Melt butter in a saucepan and mix with honey.
Pour the finished brushwood with the creamy honey mixture.
Puff brushwood
Ingredients:
- Carbonated mineral water – 1/2 tbsp.
- Flour – 300 gr.
- Sugar – 2 st. l.
- Vegetable oil for dough – 150 gr.
- Lemon cedar – 1/2 pc.
- Vegetable oil – for frying
- Powdered sugar – for dusting
- Baking powder – a pinch
Pour mineral water into a bowl and mix with baking powder. After the foam has settled, add sugar, vegetable oil and gradually add flour.
Knead a very thick and firm dough. Roll it out into a thin layer, cut into strips, from which to form brushwood.
Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or deep dish. Fry in small portions until golden brown.
Spread the brushwood on a dish covered with a paper towel to absorb excess fat and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Potato brushwood
Ingredients:
- Potatoes – 500 gr.
- Flour – 1 Art.
- Egg – 1 pcs.
- Salt – to taste
- Vegetable oil – for frying
- Water – for boiling potatoes
Wash, peel and boil the potatoes in salted water. Mash ready-made potatoes and let cool slightly. Add egg and flour and knead thoroughly to make a tight dough. If a glass of flour is not enough, then add more.
Leave the dough for about 20 minutes, then roll out a thin layer of it, cut into strips of dough, from which to form brushwood.
Heat oil for frying in a deep fryer or deep dish and fry the brushwood in small portions, until golden brown.
Spread brushwood on a dish with a paper towel and serve with any meal or as a beer snack. In this case, you can sprinkle it with a little salt before serving.
Bon appetit!
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