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1
Whisk together the flour, potato flakes and baking powder in a small bowl.
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2
In another bowl, whisk the butter and salt together until smooth.
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3
Add the egg and whisk until the egg is beaten.
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4
(The mixture will look curdled, almost like egg-drop soup, but thats fine.)
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5
Add the dry ingredients and whisk to moisten as much of the mixture as you can.
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6
The dough will have lumps and clumps and a few flakes.
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7
Pour 3 tablespoons hot water over the dough and whisk (or mix with a rubber spatula) until the dough comes together.
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8
If it looks dry, add a little more water drop by drop (3 tablespoons is usually enough).
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9
You should have a soft, moist dough.
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10
Knead the dough a couple of times, divide it in half, pat it into a rectangular shape and wrap each half well.
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11
Chill the dough for at least 1 hour or for as long as overnight.
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12
Line a baking sheet with wax paper.
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13
Working with one piece of dough at a time, place it on a well-floured surface, flour the top of the dough and roll it out, turning it over so that youre rolling on both sides, until youve got a rectangle thats paper thin.
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14
Dont worry about rolling the dough into a perfectly even shape; you just want it to be very thin.
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15
If you flour it well enough, it will be easy to get that thinness.
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16
Using a ruler and a pastry wheel (one with a zigzag edge is nice for this job) or pizza cutter, cut long strips 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide, then cut the strips at 2-inch intervals.
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17
(Again, size isnt really important and the shape is flexible you can make long strips, triangles or squares.)
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18
Using the tip of a paring knife, cut a lengthwise slit about 3/4 inch long in the center of each piece.
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19
Lift the pieces onto the baking sheet.
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20
When youve filled the sheet, just cover the dough with another piece of wax paper and keep going.
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21
Roll and cut the other half of the dough and place these pieces on the baking sheet as well, separating the layers with wax paper.
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22
You should have about 60 bugnes.
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23
Chill for at least 1 hour or for as long as overnight.
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24
(When the dough is firm, you can pack the pieces airtight and freeze them for up to 2 months; they can be cooked without defrosting.)
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25
When youre ready to fry the bugnes, line a baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels.
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26
Pour 1 to 1 1/2 inches of olive oil into a deep saute pan or a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat.
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27
When the oil is hot it should measure 300 degrees on a deep-fat-frying or candy thermometer drop a few pieces of dough into the pot.
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28
Dont crowd the pot; you want the oil to bubble around each piece of dough.
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29
Fry until the bugnes are lightly browned around the edges and golden in the center, about 2 minutes, then turn and brown the other side, about 1 minute more.
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30
Lift out of the oil with a slotted spoon, allowing the excess oil to drip back into the pot, and transfer them to the lined baking sheet.
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31
Pat off the excess oil, sprinkle with salt and continue frying the remaining pieces.
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32
Serve the bugnes just warm or at room temperature, solo or with a little creme fraiche (or sour cream) and salmon roe or caviar.
