Cretan Xerotigana – Crispy fried dough rings with delicious syrup

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 200 g wheat flour type 1050
• 2 tbsp orange juice
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tbsp honey, light yellow
• n. B. Flour for the work surface
• 200 g frying oil, fresh
• 60 g white sugar
• 60 g orange juice
• 1 cinnamon stick(s), approx. 5 cm long
• 3 tbsp honey, light
• 1 pinch of cinnamon powder
• 3 tbsp white sugar
• n. B. Walnuts, coarsely chopped
• e.g. pistachio kernels

Instructions

Working time approx. 25 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 45 minutes

Knead the dough ingredients into a firm dough, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Meanwhile, combine all the syrup ingredients except the honey in a saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes while stirring. Remove from the heat, remove the cinnamon stick, and stir in the honey. Shape the dough into a log and roll it out slightly wider. Divide it lengthwise into 2 portions and roll them out into strips measuring approximately 400 x 40 x 2 mm. Quarter each strip lengthwise. Roll out the remaining dough into strips measuring 400 x 10 x 2 mm. Lightly flour your left hand (right-handed people). First, wrap a single strip over your index and middle fingers. For the next layer, add your ring finger, and for the last layer, add your little finger, wrapping the strip together. Press the end of the strip onto the pretzel. Fry the pretzels in a pan with plenty of oil until golden brown, then drain on kitchen paper. Carefully arrange the pretzels in a single layer on a serving platter and drizzle with the syrup using a tablespoon. Mix the cinnamon powder and sugar. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar and walnuts over the pretzels. Garnish with pistachios and serve warm.