I recently discovered that people in southern Italy make deep-fried dough mixed with seaweed. It looks like Japan’s ‘Isobe-age’ Tempura, that is made with the batter mixed with ‘Aonori’ (Dried Green Laver Flakes). I tried to make Savoury Doughnuts using ‘Aonori’ and it was delicious. I added 1 tablespoon ‘Aonori’ today, and the flavour was subtle and delicate. If you like ‘Aonori’ flavour, you can add more.

Makes

30 Doughnuts
*Today I halved the recipe and made 15 Doughnuts

Ingredients

2 cups Bread Flour *OR Plain Flour
2 teaspoons Dry Yeast
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Sugar
1-2 tablespoons ‘Aonori’ (Dried Green Laver Flakes)
1 Egg *at room temperature
Warm Water *read ‘Method 2’
2 tablespoons Oil of your choice *I used Sunflower Oil
Oil for frying

Method
  1. Place Flour, Dry Yeast, Salt, Sugar and ‘Aonori’ in a large bowl, and mix to blend evenly. *Note: Today I added 1 tablespoon ‘Aonnori’ and the flavour was subtle and delicate. If you like ‘Aonori’ flavour, you can add more.
  2. Whisk Egg in a measuring cup, and add Warm Water up to 200ml marking. Add Egg & Water mixture and Oil to the Flour mixture in the bowl, mix to combine, then knead, adding extra Flour as required, until smooth and not sticky.
  3. Cover with a plate or plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size. Take out the dough onto a floured surface, roll the dough into small bite-size (about 3cm) balls, place the balls on a plate OR tray, and set aside in a warm place while you are preparing Oil.
  4. Heat deep Oil to 150-160°C and fry the balls of dough, in batches, until puffed and light golden. Transfer to paper towel OR a wire rack. Enjoy hot OR warm.