Recipe: Pets de Nonne, was: La salade de merde de souris

[Guest guest]

At 02:32 PM 7/20/2006, treazure noname wrote:

>

>Ah! Mon Dieu! You go wash your mouth out with wheat grass right now, young

lady!

>

> Jeanne in Georgia qui se demande, mais il goûte comme la merde ?

 

Je ne sais!

 

It did, however, remind me of the name of a wonderful French treat I haven't

made in ages (because it's so rich and fattening and I'm mostly vegan these

days), but have enjoyed on special occasions. My only variation is to leave out

the lemon rind and sometimes add a teaspoon or so of cinnamon and about 1/4

teaspoon nutmeg, or not.

 

Pets de Nonne

From Simple Cooking, by John Thorne

 

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter

2 teaspoons sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

4 eggs

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon dark rum, optional

Oil for deep-frying

Confectioners' sugar

 

Combine the butter, sugar, salt, and lemon rind with 1 cup water in a saucepan

and bring the mixture slowly to a boil. When the butter has completely melted,

remove the pan from the heat. While the pan is heating, break each of the eggs

into a separate custard cup or similar small dish and have these ready. When

the pan is removed from the heat, add all the flour at once, stirring, first

carefully, then, when the flour is absorbed, vigorously with a wooden spoon.

 

When you have a compact, thick paste, turn the heat to medium high and return

the pan to it. Cook this mixture for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly and

scraping the sides and bottom, until the batter clings together in a solid mass,

leaving the bottom and sides of the pan clean, and takes on a glossy look. Turn

off the heat and remove the pan from the stove.

 

Beat in the vanilla, and the rum if used, giving the batter a chance to cool a

little. When it has, make a well in its center, pour in 1 egg, and beat this

into the mass. When it is incorporated, beat in another egg and proceed until

all the eggs are used. The resulting pastry should be flexible and soft, firm

enough to hold its shape and not at all runny. Set it aside and let it rest for

about 45 minutes, or for the duration of supper.

 

When ready to make the fritters, fill a deep skillet or deep-fat fryer

two-thirds full of oil and heat to 360 deg.F (not too hot, or the exteriors will

brown before the center is cooked). If you are using a deep-fat fryer, do not

use the basket, but a slotted spoon or wire mesh skimmer instead. Drop the

batter into the hot oil a teaspoonful at a time, dipping the spoon into the oil

after each scoop. Don't overcrowd the pan, since they puff up to about four

times their original size. Nudge them to roll over, so that they color evenly

on all sides. When golden brown, drain on paper towels and sprinkle with

confectioners' sugar. Serve hot.

 

Makes 40 fritters.