Farturas: the sweet, crispy, and oh-so-delicious Portuguese treat that you never knew you needed in your life. If you haven’t tried these yet, then buckle up because you’re in for a real treat.
Farturas are a traditional Portuguese dessert that’s similar to churros or funnel cake. They’re made from a simple dough that’s piped into hot oil and fried until golden and crispy. Once cooked, they’re rolled in a mixture of sugar and cinnamon for an extra hit of sweetness.
Farturas and churros are similar in that they are both fried dough treats that are often served with sugar and cinnamon. However, there are some differences between the two.
One difference is their shape and size. In Portugal, farturas are typically larger and thicker than churros, which are thinner and often have a ridged surface due to being piped through a star-shaped nozzle.
Another difference is their origin. While churros are believed to have originated in Spain, the exact origin of farturas is less clear. Some theories suggest that they may have been an adaptation of churros brought to Portugal by Spanish shepherds.
Despite these differences, both farturas and churros are delicious treats that are enjoyed by many people. Whether you prefer one over the other is a matter of personal taste.
But what sets farturas apart from other fried dough treats is their unique texture. They’re crispy on the outside and soft and pillowy on the inside. And when you bite into one, you get this amazing contrast of textures that’s just so satisfying.
Farturas are typically served at fairs and festivals in Portugal, but they’re also easy to make at home. All you need are a few simple ingredients and a little bit of know-how. And once you’ve mastered the basic recipe, you can start experimenting with different variations and flavors.
In this blog post, we’ll show you how to make farturas at home with our easy step-by-step recipe. We’ll also share some tips and tricks for getting the perfect texture and flavor. So grab your apron and let’s get cooking!
Ingredients
- 10.6 oz of flour (with yeast)
- 1-1.3 cups of cold water
- 1 teaspoon of fine salt
- Sugar and cinnamon to taste
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Begin by heating a generous amount of oil in a large frying pan.
- In a separate bowl, mix together sugar and cinnamon to your liking.
- Prepare a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip.
- In another bowl, combine the flour, salt and 1 cup of water. Stir until well combined, adding more water if necessary.
- Transfer the dough to the pastry bag and pipe it into the hot oil in a spiral motion, starting from the edge of the pan and working your way towards the center.
- Once the dough has been piped into the oil, lift the pastry bag to cut off the dough. If it doesn’t cut easily, you may need to add more water to the dough.
- Fry until golden brown, flipping once during cooking. Use chopsticks or tongs to make flipping easier.
- Once cooked, remove from oil and drain on paper towels.
- Repeat with remaining dough until all fritters have been cooked.
- To serve, cut fritters into desired size using scissors and roll in sugar and cinnamon mixture while still warm.
Notes
- You can experiment with adding other ingredients to this recipe. Some ideas could be adding a bit of vanilla extract or citrus zest to the dough for extra flavor.
- You could also try dipping the cooked fritters in chocolate sauce or serving them with fruit compote. The possibilities are endless, so feel free to get creative and make the recipe your own!
- There are many variations of the farturas recipe. Some recipes call for the addition of lemon zest to the dough for added flavor.
- Others suggest using a mixture of flour, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda instead of self-raising flour. You could also try adding an egg to the dough for a richer texture.
- Some variations of the recipe call for the addition of 1 beaten egg to the dough. Adding an egg can help to enrich the dough and give it a slightly different texture. If you decide to try adding an egg to the recipe, start with just one and see how it turns out. You can always adjust the recipe to your liking in future batches.
- Farturas are best enjoyed fresh and warm, right after they are made. However, if you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- To reheat them, you can place them in a preheated oven at 350°F for a few minutes until they are warm and crispy again. Keep in mind that the texture may not be the same as when they are freshly made.
