Churros (Deep Fried Dough Spirals)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 to 2 quarts olive (not extra-virgin) or vegetable oil for frying
• 1 (1-inch-wide) strip orange or lemon peel
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• Granulated sugar for sprinkling
• a metal or plastic churrera fitted with a 3/4-inch star opening, and a pair of chopsticks

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat 2 inches oil in a 4-quart Dutch oven or a wide 4-inch-deep heavy pot over high heat until a deep-fat thermometer registers 400°F (oil will be just beginning to smoke). Drop in citrus peel (oil will bubble vigorously) and leave in oil until browned, about 1 minute. Remove with tongs.

2. 2

   While oil is heating, bring water with salt to a boil, covered, in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan. Add 2 teaspoons olive oil and remove from heat. Immediately add flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until flour and water are combined well (mixture will be stiff and not very smooth). Fill churrera with some hot dough and wrap a kitchen towel around churrera canister to protect your hands.

3. 3

   Turn screw handle of churrera until dough emerges from star opening. Holding opening about 2 inches above oil, turn handle to squeeze dough into oil in a continuous stream, making a spiral shape. (Spirals take practice; have a helper coax dough into a spiral in oil with a chopstick, keeping dough away from side of pot. For beginners, small coils or any kind of curvy shape is fine.) Stop when dough stream breaks naturally or pot is full.

4. 4

   Cook until underside is golden, about 1 1/2 minutes, and turn over with chopsticks. Then cook until golden, about 1 1/2 minutes more. Transfer churro with chopsticks to paper towels to drain and sprinkle with sugar.

5. 5

   Make more churros in same manner, returning oil to 400°F between batches.

6. 6

   Break churros into pieces if desired and serve immediately.