Catholic Recipe: Potato Doughnuts

Also Called: Fastnachtsscherben

Before the traditional fast of Lent (no dairy, eggs or meat) the larder was cleaned out by serving dishes made with these ingredients on Fat Tuesday. Potato doughnuts is one of the more popular dishes. This is a German recipe, but the Irish have similiar recipes, calling their version Boxty Doughnuts. This dish can also be served for Halloween/All Saints Day.

DIRECTIONS

Sift flour with baking powder, salt, nutmeg, soda. Set aside.

Beat eggs with sugar, shortening; stir in mashed potatoes, lemon rind. Add flour mixture alternately with milk. Turn dough onto lightly floured board. Roll to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with doughnut cutter. Drop 4 or 5 doughnuts at a time into deep hot fat preheated to 360°. Cook until doughnuts are brown and rise to surface; turn to brown on both sides. Drain. Roll in mixture of cinnamon and sugar (shake in paper bag).

Yield, 36 doughnuts