Angel Wings- 32 Egg Yolks Later….

Angel Wings

Why 32 egg yolks? I’ll explain. Angel Wings are what a lot of people call these fried delicate cookies. We also call them Flancate (Slovenian) or Chruschiki ( Polish). The dough is a mixture of 8 eggs yolks, white wine, a little salt and flour. Very close to pasta dough. Every year, for more than 20 years,  it has been tradition for my family to make these with the Bales family.

It started when both my parents were still alive and before Zach and Cody Bales were even born. We gather in the basement of my parents’ house and start the process. A pasta machine is used to roll out the dough. An electric skillet used to fry them and then they are cooled and dusted with powdered sugar. Because they are rolled so thin a single batch can make a couple hundred cookies. We make a double batch of the dough every year and that way have plenty of cookies to eat and share. My job is dough maker and cookie fryer. I made a double batch as usual.

A single batch uses 8 egg yolks and I make a double batch of dough so 16 eggs yolks would have been used. Where did 32 egg yolks come from? Well, best laid plans. I was making the dough yesterday and started with the double batch. Cracked the 16 eggs and separated out the yolks. Added the rest of the ingredients and the mixer did the rest. When I went to put the cork back in the newly opened bottle of white wine used for the dough I discovered a chip in the top of the wine bottle. There was no piece of glass anywhere on the counter. I don’t know if I added it to the dough or if the bottle was already chipped but there was only one thing left to do. The newly made dough – all 16 eggs yolks worth – had to be tossed. I made another batch and strained the wine in the bottle through a coffee filter to be sure there was no glass. Luckily I had enough eggs on hand.

We made the Angel Wings as usual, had a great time, and ended up with 500 cookies when finished. I will be enjoying egg white omelets for some time to come. Might also make some meringues. With every egg  white I eat I’ll think of the 32 eggs I used to make the dough and I will know I made the right decision to choose safety. Here is the recipe. Not the easiest cookies to make. Easier with a few helpers but worth the effort. Oh, if you are in the area- I have cookies to share. I’ll even make you an egg white omelet. 🙂

Angel Wings/ Flancate

8 egg yolks

2 ½ -3 c. flour, plus extra for rolling

½ c. white wine*

1 t. salt

oil or shortening for deep frying, shortening is preferred

powdered sugar for sprinkling

Combine egg yolks, wine and salt mixing until smooth. Stir in 2 cups of the flour and continue adding flour until dough is very firm, but still pliable. It is better to add more flour later than to add too much too soon. Knead or mix the dough in a mixer for 5-8 minutes. Kneading dough, or mixing in a stand mixer strengthens the dough. Divide dough into thirds, cover and allow to rest 1 hour.

On lightly floured surface roll dough out into thin strips. Cut strips diagonally into 1 ½ inch wide pieces. Cut a small slit in middle of dough and pull one end through, pulling until dough is long and somewhat twisted. Work with small amount of dough at a time to avoid drying out. Dry dough will tear and be hard to work with. You can use a pizza cutter or a pastry wheel with a zigzag edge. Cook dough, a few pieces at a time in a skillet with either oil or shortening 2 inches deep and heated to a temperature of 375 degrees. Pastry will cook in 30 seconds or so. Remove when lightly brown and drain on paper toweling. Cool and dust with powdered sugar. Makes about 200, depending on how thin you can roll them.

Note: If you have access to a pasta machine, the rolling time will be greatly reduced. Use the machine to roll the dough uniformly and quickly. There is no substitute for experience. After making a batch you will learn just how the dough should feel and how thick to roll the dough. Also, get a friend or two to help you. The are a lot of jobs to do and the time will fly with some assistance. Besides, you’ll have plenty to share with family and friends.   

•             You can use any table wine, really or even add a little vinegar (1-2 T.) to the wine

Freshly fried Angel Wings

Finished cookies- ready to be packed up