Bugia Recipes

Steps:

• Sift the flour with the baking powder, salt, and sugar and set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix together the eggs, butter, orange juice, brandy, vanilla, and anise seeds until well blended.
• Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix on low speed until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl and adheres to the paddle.
• Remove the dough from the bowl onto a floured board.
• Knead by hand until smooth.
• Form the dough into a ball, flatten slightly, and place in a bowl.
• Cover with a tea towel and chill at least 2 hours or up to overnight to allow the dough to relax.
• Heat the oil in a deep fryer or deep pot to 350 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, cut the dough into 4 or 6 equal pieces.
• Keeping the dough and work surface well floured, pass the dough through the widest setting of a pasta machine 3 or 4 times.
• Then pass through successively narrower settings until the dough is almost thin enough to see through; These can also be rolled by hand- they will not be as thin, but they will be just as good.
• Cut the dough into long strips 3 inches wide, then cut the strips on the diagonal into pieces about 3 inches long.
• If the dough tears, cut it off and work it back into the dough.
• The cookies curl when they fry, so fancier shapes are not important.
• As the cookies are cut, transfer them to baking sheets lined with flour-dusted tea towels, and cover with tea towels so they won't dry out before frying.
• Fry in batches, turning once, until puffed and golden brown, about 1 minute.
• Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
• While the cookies are still hot, dust them well with powdered sugar.
• Wait for a few minutes while the oil and heat absorb and melt most of this first coating.
• Dust well a second time until the cookies are quite white.
• The cookies will keep for a week or so in an airtight container.
• You may need to re-dust them with sugar before serving.