from Paris Express
I learned to make these magical bites in savoury form from a friend who spreads his beignets with rouille and serves them with clams. Another friend, when I was showing her the recipe, decided to sprinkle them with sugar and nutmeg and then declared them to be better than doughnuts. These are cute, quick, and really astonishing. Put the coffee pot on!
Ingredients
½ loaf unsliced white bread, crusts removed
1 cup (250 mL) milk
2 eggs
Peanut oil, for frying
Sugar, for sprinkling
Nutmeg, for grating
Directions
Cut the bread into roughly 2-inch (5 cm) square chunks. Whisk together the milk and eggs in a bowl.
Heat about 1 ½ inches (4 cm) oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. The oil is ready when a rip of bread sizzles and starts to lightly colour. Dip a few pieces of bread in the milk mixture and lower into the oil. Fry, turning, until golden, about a minute. Remove to paper towels and immediately sprinkle with sugar and nutmeg. Continue with the remaining bread. Serve with coffee or a digestif.
Makes about 24 beignets.
Nada’s Tips & Tricks: Change up with the seasoning (cinnamon, icing sugar, cardamom) and serve with various dipping sauces: chocolate, fruit coulis or maple syrup. Fancy it up by inserting a custard or jam for a filled beignet. Goes great with a slice of soft cheese for a Parisian flare.
Content and images used with permission from The Paris Express: Simple Food from the City of Style by Laura Calder © 2014. Published by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved. Books – HarperCollins Canada