Tiganites
Τηγανίτες·(tee-gah-NEE-tes)
Proino & Dekatiano (The Morning Rhythms)
The heavy skillet comes out, the yeast wakes up, and the batter hisses. Born in the olive fields of the Peloponnese, tiganites were built to sustain laborers through the autumn harvest. They are nothing more than flour, water, and yeast dropped into a shallow pool of hot, rich olive oil until deeply crisp on the outside and wonderfully fermented within. Serve this plate of fried dough drowning in thyme honey and crushed walnuts, let the floral edge contrast the tannic crunch, and eat them before the coffee cools.
Before you start
Sift the flour.
Do not skip this step; Greek grandmothers swear by sifting to guarantee a fluffy, light batter that absorbs less oil.
Prep the toppings before frying.
Crush the walnuts and have your honey and cinnamon ready by the stove. Tiganites wait for absolutely no one and must be dressed and eaten while piping hot.
Ingredients
- unbleached all-purpose flour2 cup
- instant yeast1 tsp
- granulated sugar1 tbsp
- fine sea salt1/2 tsp
- lukewarm water1 1/2 cup
- extra virgin olive oil1 tbsp
- olive oil1/2 cup
- Greek honey1/4 cup
- walnuts1/4 cup
- ground cinnamon1 tsp
Method
- 01
Whisk the dry ingredients and water into a thick, smooth batter.
In a large bowl, mix the lukewarm water, yeast, and sugar, letting it sit for a minute before vigorously whisking in the sifted flour, salt, and tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil until absolutely no lumps remain.
- 02
Rest the batter to develop a yeasty tang.
Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it sit in a warm spot for 15 to 20 minutes to allow the yeast to hydrate and create small bubbles.
- 03
Heat the olive oil until it shimmers and sizzles.
Pour the half cup of olive oil into a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet to a depth of about half an inch and heat over medium-high. Test the heat with a tiny bead of batter; it should immediately sizzle and float without smoking.
- 04
Drop the batter into the hot oil by the spoonful.
Using a standard tablespoon, carefully drop spoonfuls of the batter into the hot oil, waiting about ten seconds between each addition so the oil temperature doesn't plummet. Leave enough room for the batter to spread into rustic disks.
- 05
Fry until deeply golden and crisp.
Allow the tiganites to fry undisturbed for about two minutes on the first side until the edges turn a deep brown and small bubbles form on the surface, then flip and fry for another minute or two.
- 06
Drain briefly and drench in honey.
Transfer the fried dough to a paper towel-lined plate for just a moment to drain the excess oil, then plate them piping hot, drizzling generously with honey and showering them with crushed walnuts and ground cinnamon.
Notes
The no-time morning shortcut.
If fifteen minutes of resting is impossible on a Tuesday morning, bypass the yeast entirely. Substitute it with 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and fry immediately. They will lack the fermented tang but will still be exceptionally crispy.
Take it savory for a true village breakfast.
Tiganites are not strictly dessert. Omit the sugar and fold a half cup of crumbled feta cheese and a pinch of dried oregano directly into the batter before frying.
Seek out petimezi for ancient flavor.
Before commercial sugar, rural Greeks sweetened foods with petimezi, a dark grape molasses. If you can find it at a Mediterranean market, use it instead of honey for an incredible earthy sweetness.
From Cook Greek in America.