Sopapillas!

I love sopapillas (so-pah-pee-yuhs), which are basically Mexican fried puffy pastries sprinkled with sugar, cinnamon, and/or a sweet syrup. They seem more complicated than they really are, and they are easily worth the effort. Yummy.

A half-eaten Sopapilla with agave nectar and powdered sugar!

Sopapillas
from Linda McCartney On Tour

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons margarine¹

3/4 cup cold water
vegetable oil for deep frying
powdered sugar
agave nectar or maple syrup²
cinnamon (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Sift the flour, salt, and baking powder into a large bowl. Rub in the margarine until crumbly. Work in the water to form a pastry-like dough.

Knead lightly on a floured surface until smooth, then roll it into a circle 1/8 inch thick. Cut it into 8 triangles.

Pour 2-3 inches of oil into a medium saucepan and place over medium to high heat. The oil is read when a cube of bread browns immediately. Deep-fry the dough triangles a few at a time until they puff up and become a light golden color, turning them so that they cook evenly, for about 3-4 minutes. Remove them carefully from the oil and drain on paper towels.

Serve dusted with powdered sugar and cinnamon or drizzled with agave nectar.


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My preferred products and where you can find them:

1. a. Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks- Sprouts, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Sunflower Farmers Market
b. Earth Balance Vegan Original Natural Buttery Spread- Sprouts, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Sunflower Farmers Market
2. Madhava Light Agave Nectar- Sprouts, Whole Foods