Pampukhy (пампухи, fried filled doughnuts)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large mixing bowl
• •Rolling pin
• •8cm round cutter or drinking glass
• •Deep heavy pot
• •Thermometer, useful but not boss of you
• •Piping bag or small spoon

Instructions

1. 1

   Wake the yeast

   Stir the warm water with the yeast and a spoonful of the sugar. Leave it until the surface looks foamy and smells faintly bready. If nothing happens, don't be brave with dead yeast; start again before the flour joins it.

2. 2

   Mix the dough

   Add the flour, remaining sugar, salt, sunflower oil, and vodka if using. Mix to a soft dough, then knead until it smooths out and begins to pull cleanly from your hands. It should feel supple, not tight. If it fights you, rest it for ten minutes and come back; dough often behaves better after being ignored.

   The vodka helps the crust fry lighter and absorb a little less oil. Leave it out for a strictly alcohol-free table; the pampukhy will still be loved.
3. 3

   Let it rise

   Oil a large bowl, turn the dough through it, cover, and leave it somewhere warm until doubled and light. Don't stare at the clock. Press it gently with a floured finger; if the dent fills slowly, the dough is ready.

4. 4

   Cook poppy filling

   For the poppy filling, simmer the ground poppy seeds with the water or oat milk, honey or sugar, orange zest, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until thick and spoonable. It should mound rather than run. Cool it completely before filling, or it will make the dough sulk.

5. 5

   Shape the rounds

   Roll the risen dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1cm thick and cut large rounds. Spoon a small mound of poppy filling or thick jam into the centre of half the rounds, cover with the remaining rounds, and pinch the edges shut. Cut again with the cutter to seal them neatly, then set them on floured trays.

6. 6

   Prove again

   Cover the shaped pampukhy and let them puff until they feel light when lifted. This is the waiting that matters. Under-proved dough sinks and sulks in the oil; ready dough floats up quickly and balloons.

7. 7

   Fry until golden

   Heat the frying oil in a deep, heavy pot until a scrap of dough rises with lively bubbles around it. Fry a few pampukhy at a time, turning once, until both sides are deep golden and the sound settles from frantic to steady. Drain on paper or a rack.

   If they darken before they puff, the oil is too hot. If they sit heavy and drink oil, it is too cool. The right oil makes a lively edge of bubbles and a golden crust before the dough tastes greasy.
8. 8

   Dust and serve

   Dust with icing sugar while still warm enough for the sugar to cling. Serve in a generous pile, with napkins and no fuss. The first one is always the cook's tax.

Chef Tips

• •Keep the filling thick. Thin jam will leak into the oil and make bitter little burnt spots, and then everyone pretends not to see them.
• •Rose-petal jam is a Christmas treasure if you have it. If not, prune jam or sour cherry jam keeps the dish in the same winter pantry spirit.
• •The dough forgives slow rising, but it doesn't forgive being rushed into the oil while dense. Watch for lightness in your hand.
• •Use neutral sunflower oil for frying, not the green unrefined one. Save that fragrant oil, Ukraine in a bottle of oil, for salads, garlic pampushky, and finishing dishes where you can taste it raw.
• •If you keep Christmas Eve strictly lean, use water and sugar, not milk, butter, egg, or honey. If your household adds egg to festive dough, that's a bit more modern and perfectly workable.

Advance Preparation

• •The poppy filling can be made 2 days ahead and kept covered in the fridge.
• •The dough can rise slowly overnight in the fridge after mixing; bring it back to room temperature before shaping.
• •Pampukhy are best the day they are fried. Leftovers can be warmed gently and dusted again, because Christmas forgives.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 95g)