Fry Bread (Bosnian Ustipci)

Not food, not even pita, has as many names as these Balkan fried mini breads. Peksimeti is what they’re most frequently called. Yet they’re also called lokumi, mekeke, uštpici, even poderane gaće which in colloquial means ‘ripped underwear.’ This last, strange name, is due to soft dough, in the days of our grandmothers, having been “ripped” with hands before being thrown on some very hot oil. Every Ustipci is different. Arguably the most delicious treat in Bosnia is Ustipci, or small balls of fried dough with either a sweet or savoury filling. Recipes pass from generation to generation making each version slightly different to the next. Sweet ones use jam or honey while their savoury counterparts have cheese or meat. As you eat the small, crispy and somewhat greasy snack, you’ll notice a soft bread texture when biting down and an explosion of flavour as the contents burst into your mouth. Locals often snack on this with tea or coffee.

16 oz white flour
1 egg
½ tsp. sea salt
¼ tsp. baking powder
16 oz Greek yogurt
oil

In a deep bowl stir Greek yogurt until completely smooth. Combine with flour, egg, salt, and baking powder. Knead into dough. The dough should be thicker than pancake batter, but thinner than the dough for bread.

Sprinkle your working area with flour generously.

Transfer the dough onto it and roll out with a rolling pin until it’s the thickness of 4-5 pennies stacked together. Take a glass, dip the edges into flour and then make circles out of the dough. Collect the remaining dough, make into ball, knead, roll out and repeat.

In a deep pan heat a generous amount of oil on high. Lower to medium and start adding the dough in. The breads will rise as they’re frying. Fry a couple of minutes on each side. Every now and then, lift the pan from heat and lightly shake from side to side.

Place onto a paper towel so it collects the oil, then serve.

Makes 6 servings.