Sfenj is prepared fresh in the morning and served while still warm for breakfast.
Place the flour, sugar, and salt in a large flat bowl, form a mold in the middle, and add the dry yeast.
Little by little, add the lukewarm water and mix everything by hand to a sticky dough.
Pull the dough up and drop it back into the bowl with a clap so that you beat air into the dough. Repeat this procedure for about 15 minutes until the dough bubbles and becomes nice and elastic. I am telling you, this is the best biceps workout.
Place the dough in a clean bowl, cover it with a tablecloth, and leave in a warm place for 2 hours until the dough triples in size. Important, do not knead the dough at all from now on.
Heat the fat in a pot to 180°.
Rub your hands with some oil, tear off a piece of dough, poke a hole in the center with your finger, and pull it out into a wide ring.
Slide the dough quickly but carefully into the oil. The dough sinks to the bottom of the pan, shrinks a bit, and then floats to the top within seconds.
Turn them now and then and fry them until they are crispy and golden.
Scoop out with a skimmer, and place on a plate lined with paper towels.
Sfenj taste best when warm and rolled in a little sugar or honey. When they get cold, they are a bit more firm in consistency. You can warm them up in the air fryer at 180° for 3-4 minutes or bake them again.