Recipe for Catalan Bougnettes - a sweet speciality for Easter

The Bougnette is a Catalan speciality, traditionally made for Easter.

Like Marcel Pagnol's films which reflect the atmosphere of Provence and the life of the locals, it's easy to imagine the ladies' aprons and rolling pins preparing the dough and spreading it out while the men are busy in the fields. The Bougnettes are sweet and enjoyed with family, friends, neighbours. Remaining bougnettes can be wrapped in a large tea towel for conservation.

Recipe

• For 8 people

• Makes 50 to 60 bougnettes

• Preparation time 20 mins

• Rest / wait time 2 - 3 hours

• Degree of difficulty - easy

• Cost - inexpensive

Ingredients

• 1 kg of flour

• 500 g caster sugar

• 125 g to 200 g butter

• 6 to 8 eggs

• zest of 3 lemons

• 9 cl of orange blossom water

• 1 or 2 l of vegetable oil

• 1 cube of baker's yeast

• 1 pinch of salt

Method

1. Dilute the sourdough in the melted butter. Beat the eggs with the orange blossom water and lemon zest. Put the flour and salt in a large bowl. Incorporate the two previous mixtures in turn. If the dough is a little dry, add more butter, if it sticks too much, add flour.

2. When the dough ball forms and comes off the sides of the bowl, put some flour on the table and start kneading the dough. To build up and stretch easily, the dough should be worked for a long time (at least 10 min).

3. When the dough has been worked well, cover with a cloth and let stand for two to three hours in a warm place, away from drafts. The dough must double in volume.

4. Cut a first 5 cm strip in the dough and leave the ball well covered. Cut this strip into 5 cm dough pieces. You have to stretch them as finely as possible by turning the dough in your fingers.

5. In a frying pan, add the oil, when it is very hot, gently place the first stretched disc of dough on the surface. Instant bubbling occurs, indicating that the oil is hot enough. The bougnette swells.

6. When it is golden on the first side, turn it over with a fork to cook the other side. As soon as it is golden on both sides, place it on a dish and sugar generously. Repeat the operation until all the dough is used up.

Bon Appetit !

(Recipe from Marie Claire magazine).