EVOO SUFGANIYOT FOR HANUKKAH

In this article, we are making traditional EVOO sufganiyot! Olive oil plays a major role in Hanukkah because of its history and connection to the liberation of Jerusalem. During the eight days of Hanukkah, usually from late November to mid December, Jews from all over the world celebrate the Festival of Lights by reciting blessings, lighting of the menorah, singing traditional songs and eating traditional foods, such as, sufganiyot. 

It is said that when Jerusalem was liberated, the Maccabees entered the Holy Temple of Jerusalem to clear it of idols placed previously by the Syrian-Greeks, and rebuilt their altar with a new menorah, since the previous one was stolen. Olive oil, being a part of Jewish culture since the ancient years, used to light the seven-branched menorah, instead of the nine-branched menorah used today. Upon lighting it, they discovered a small jar with just a tiny bit of pure olive oil left, enough to give light for just one day. Then, a miracle happened, and the light continued to burn for eight days.

Since then, eight days of Hanukkah is celebrated, where the central candle lights a single candle each day until all eight are lit. Hence, came the tradition with deep fried foods during Hanukkah, cooked in oil. Sufganiyot is usually deep fried in canola oil but we used EVOO (extra virgin olive oil). Are you ready for some deliciously easy to bake EVOO sufganiyot?

Traditional EVOO Sufganiyot

Ingredients                                                               

  • 450gr all purpose flour

  • 1 packet dry yeast

  • ½ tsp natural sea salt

  • 1 tsp. vanillin powder

  • ¾ cup whole milk

  • 2 tbsp EVOO

  • 4 tbsp honey

  • 2 eggs

  • EVOO (to fill a frying pan 2 inches deep)

  • 200gr strawberry jam (for the filling)

  • Confectioners’ sugar (for topping)

Directions 

In order to make the tastiest EVOO sufganiyot, you must first prepare your mixture in the right order. Warm the milk on low heat and towards the end add the olive oil and honey to dissolve it. Be careful not to overheat the milk. Whisk your eggs and add them slowly to the warmed milk, after removing it from the heat. Now, in a large bowl, place the flour, yeast salt and vanillin powder, and mix all together with a spoon. Add your warmed milk mix to your dry mix and use an electric mixer on slow speed at first. Gradually turn on speed and mix all together for about 5-10 minutes. Your dough should be slightly sticky. Cover the bowl with a membrane and let it rise for about an hour in a warm place. The old traditional way is to cover with blankets. 

Use some extra flour to dust your work area, where you’ll be working and cutting the dough. Roll your dough so that it is about half cm thick, then use a round glass or cutter to cut round pieces. Place each piece on a lightly floured parchment paper, cover again with a membrane and let everything rise again for about 40 minutes. 

Now, prepare your area for frying. In a deep frying pan, heat your olive oil on medium heat. We used a wire rack with paper towels underneath, next to our frying pan, to place the EVOO sufganiyot once fried. Fry each round piece, flipping it occasionally for a total of about 2 minutes. The end result should look light brown. Be careful not to over fry them. Let them cool a bit. 

Your EVOO sufganiyot should be ready now for topping and filling. Dust some confectioners’ sugar on top of each one then fill them with your strawberry jam. We used a pastry/jam filling applier, which already had a sharp edge to make a hole, and filled it with jam. Alternatively, you can make the holes yourself and fill in the jam with straws. Enjoy your EVOO sufganiyot! 

Why Fry Sufganiyot in EVOO

The myth that cooking, baking and frying in extra virgin olive oil is unhealthy, has long been debunked by scientists. Deep-frying your EVOO sufganiyot is no different. High quality EVOO has a high smoke point, around 405 F degrees. When we deep fry, the highest recommended temperatures to reach are about 360 degrees.

The key here, is to never fry in high heat. That way, you’ll be using high quality oil in your foods, without worrying about the harmful substances that may be released at high temperatures. Extra virgin olive oil, on its own, is extremely resilient to high temperatures because it contains high amounts of monounsaturated fatty acids and vitamins.

As long as you remember to not reuse EVOO for deep frying, you’re good to go. Reusing any frying oils lowers the quality and taste of your food, and that’s when things start becoming detrimental to your health. So don’t be afraid to deep-fry your EVOO sufganiyot in high quality oil and see the difference for yourself!

Hanukkah is celebrated this year from the 28th of November to the 6th of December, so get your menorah ready and prepare your EVOO sufganiyot to bring light and joy to the upcoming darkness of winter!

Take a look at our shop for high-quality EVOO and other gourmet Greek products!

Greek Olive Oil, RecipesKate Gerevoo sufganiyot, evoo, Hanukkah