Sweet Christmas Pastries (Calabria)

Desserts

Ingredients

Compressed yeast - 1 cake

All purpose flour - 4 cups

Salt

Potatoes, boiled and mashed - 2

Oil for deep frying

Sugar

Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water and mix to a very soft dough with about 1/2 cup of the flour. Put aside in a warm place to rise. It should become frothy within about 20 minutes.

Sift the remaining flour on to a pastry board with a pinch of salt. Make a well and pour in the risen yeast mixture. Work to a dough, adding the mashed potatoes and a little more lukewarm water if necessary. Knead until smooth and shape into small rounds. Put these aside to rise again, then deep-fry, a few at a time, in hot oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with sugar and serve hot.

Make about 40 small pastries.