Diples

Unleavened dough rolled until it is translucent and folded in the hot oil with two forks, then dipped in honey.

Egg. Vegetarian, but not vegan — contains egg, honey.

Ingredients

For the dough

• 400 g plain flour
• 4 eggs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 tablespoon brandy
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

To fry and finish

• 1 litre flavourless oil, for frying
• 350 g honey
• 100 ml water
• 1 strip lemon peel
• 150 g walnuts, finely chopped
• ground cinnamon

Method

1. THE DOUGH IS ROLLED UNTIL YOU CAN READ THROUGH IT, which is thinner than feels possible and is the whole dish. At 1 mm it fries into a thick biscuit; at the thickness of paper it blisters and shatters. A pasta machine on its lowest setting is the honest way to do this and there is no shame in it.
2. AND IT IS FOLDED IN THE OIL, NOT BEFORE. A strip is lowered in by one end, and as it softens -- about three seconds -- it is rolled or folded with two forks while submerged. Folded dry and then fried, the layers weld together and the inside stays raw.
3. THIS IS NOTHING LIKE THE OTHER FRIED DOUGH ON THIS SITE. Loukoumades is a wet yeasted batter dropped off a spoon and puffed hollow; this is unleavened, egg-rich, rolled to nothing and crisp all the way through. They share honey and hot oil and nothing else.
4. Eggs beaten with the oil, orange juice, brandy and salt.
5. Flour worked in gradually to a firm, smooth dough -- stiffer than pasta dough. Kneaded 10 minutes.
6. Wrapped and rested 1 hour. Unrested, it fights the roller and springs back.
7. Honey, water and lemon peel warmed together until runny, then kept warm but not hot. Walnuts and cinnamon mixed in a bowl.
8. Dough divided into six. One piece rolled at a time, the rest kept covered, down to the thinnest setting of a pasta machine or as thin as a rolling pin will take it.
9. Cut into strips about 8 cm by 25 cm.
10. Oil to 170C. ONE STRIP AT A TIME -- this is slow work and cannot be hurried with a crowded pan.
11. A strip lowered in by one end. After 3 seconds, caught with two forks and rolled up or folded into a bow WHILE IN THE OIL.
12. Held in shape for a few seconds, then fried 30 to 45 seconds until pale gold. They colour fast and go from gold to brown in moments.
13. Lifted onto a rack to drain, then dipped briefly in the warm honey, lifted out and set on a plate.
14. Walnuts and cinnamon scattered over while wet. They keep three days and go soft rather than stale.

Our own recipe. This one was written for this site rather than taken from anywhere, so there is no source to point you at. The quantities and the order of the steps are choices, not the only way to do it.

Filed under Greece · All recipes