Sfinz is a traditional Libyan fried pastry made with a dough consisting of flour, sugar, yeast, salt, and water.After it has been fried, sfinz is typically enjoyed with honey, although it can also be fried with an egg on top.Sfinz is also known as Libyan doughnut, this fried pastry is especially popular for breaking the fast during Ramadan, but it can also be served for breakfast on a normal day as bread for meals.
In a bowl, combine your sugar, salt, baking powder and yeast with some small amount of warm water. Cover and leave in a warm place for about 10 mins to activate the yeast and other ingredients.
Using a sifter or sieve, sieve your fine white flour into a large bowl and add in your activated yeast mixture and mix it together to form a dough.
Gradually add in the olive oil some of the warm water to get a soft consistency but not all that soft dough that will be easy to spread.
Knead the dough and shape it in a ball shape and cover it for it to rise.
After the dough has risen, knock it down and cut it into equal pieces.Add a spon of butter to each mixture and knead it to mix or mix all the butter before allowing it to rise.
Grease or oil a plate and place the sfinz balls on that plate, cover it and leave it to rest for about 2 hours.
Oil a dinner plate. put one dough ball in the middle of the plate. Flatten each ball to the same shape as the plate, dipping your hands in oil as needed. The edges should be a bit thicker than the center, like a pizza crust.
Fry in oil under medium heat.
Turn to the other side until both sides are golden brown.
To make egg sfinz: flip the sfinz onto the opposite side as soon as it pops up. This side will have a ” hollow.” You should have an egg in a bowl ready to pour into the hollow.Push the sfinz down with a spatula and spoon hot oil on top to fry the egg as well. Once the egg has set, flip to brown the egg side.
Egg sfinz are great rolled up with a slice of cheese, or just plain, and the egg can be hard or runny.