Ingredients:
For the dough:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup butter or vegetable shortening (cold)
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the filling (you can use a sweet filling of your choice):
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk (for a creamy sweet filling)
1/2 cup ground nuts (e.g., almonds, walnuts, or hazelnuts) or chocolate chips (optional)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
For frying:
Vegetable oil (for frying)
Instructions:
For the dough:
Mix dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
Add the fat: Cut in the cold butter or shortening into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Add liquid: Make a well in the center and add the egg, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix everything together to form a dough.
Knead the dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for a few minutes until it becomes smooth. If it’s too sticky, add a little more flour, but be careful not to add too much.
Let the dough rest: Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 15–20 minutes.
For the filling:
Prepare the filling: In a small bowl, mix sweetened condensed milk with ground nuts or chocolate chips if you want to use them. Add cinnamon or any flavoring you like.
Shaping and frying:
Roll out the dough: Once the dough has rested, roll it out on a floured surface to about 1/8 inch thickness.
Cut out shapes: Use a round cutter (or a glass) to cut out circles, about 3–4 inches in diameter.
Add the filling: Place a small spoonful of filling in the center of each dough circle. Be careful not to overfill.
Seal the dough: Fold the dough in half over the filling to create a half-moon shape. Press the edges together with your fingers or a fork to seal them securely.
Fry the pockets: Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot (test by dropping in a small piece of dough — it should sizzle), carefully place the dough pockets in the oil. Fry them in batches for 3–4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
Drain and serve: Once fried, remove the pockets from the oil and drain them on paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
Enjoy your crispy, sweet homemade fried pockets! You can also dust them with powdered sugar or serve with a drizzle of honey for extra sweetness.