Navajo Fry Bread with Honey Butter

Note from Cheri: This authentic Southwest recipe is from Betty Fussell's wonderful book on authentic American regional cuisine, I Hear America Cooking. While Hispanics call their small squares of fried dough sopaipillas, the Navajo call their version of the dish Fry Bread and changed the shape to a circle with a center hole, much like a donut. For an authentic New Mexico experience, serve your Fry Bread with honey butter. Click here for my interview with author and celebrity chef Betty Fussell, as well as more of her recipes and an excerpt from her latest book My Kitchen Wars.

2 C flour 1 T baking powder 1 tsp. salt 1 T vegetable oil ¾ C warm water oil for frying honey butter for spreading (optional)

Makes 12 Circles of Bread Mix dry ingredients together, then stir in oil and water and mix until smooth (a food processor will do this in a minute). Knead lightly for a minute until dough is elastic but don't work it too hard or it won't roll out. Shape dough in a ball, put in a plastic bag and refrigerate for an hour. Pinch off 12 balls of dough and flatten each with your hand into 3-4 inch circles. Roll again to make the circles as thin as possible, 7-8 inches in diameter. The thinner the dough circles are, the better they puff in the oil. Poke a hole in the center of each circle with your finger. Dust the tops of the circles lightly with flour while oil heats in a wok or deep skillet to 375° F. Slip rounds one at a time into the hot oil and brown about 1 minute on each side, turning them with tongs or a slotted spatula. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with powdered sugar, or drip honey over the top or spread with honey butter.