Fried Greek Pastry with Honey and Nuts

ACTIVE: 1 HR
TOTAL TIME: 1 HR 30 MIN
SERVINGS: 10 to 12

MAKE-AHEAD
VEGETARIAN

"The woman who made the diples [fried dough] was like my grandmother—she wore a bib apron 24 hours a day," Michael Psilakis says.

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1 cup honey
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
Two 1-inch strips of orange zest
One 3-inch cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
Vegetable oil, for frying
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts
Ground cinnamon, for sprinkling

In a large saucepan, bring the honey, water, sugar, orange zest, cinnamon stick and lemon juice to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat until slightly thickened, 10 minutes. Discard the zest and cinnamon stick.
In a medium bowl, using a wooden spoon, beat the eggs with the olive oil and salt. Add the flour and stir until a stiff, shaggy dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead until smooth, about 2 minutes; add more flour if the dough is sticky. Cut the dough into 4 pieces, cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 20 minutes.
Roll 1 piece of dough at a time through a pasta machine, working your way from the widest setting to the thinnest. Transfer the dough strip to a well-floured work surface and dust with flour. Cut the strip into 4-inch squares. Repeat with the remaining dough.
In a large pot, heat 2 inches of vegetable oil to 360°. Working with 8 squares at a time, roll each square into a loose cigar and drop it into the hot oil. Fry over moderate heat, turning once, until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pastries to a paper towel–lined baking sheet to drain. Repeat until all of the dough is fried.
Rewarm the honey syrup. Using tongs, add a few pastries at a time to the honey syrup and turn to coat. Transfer them to a large bowl and sprinkle lightly with chopped walnuts and cinnamon. Repeat until all of the pastries are coated. Carefully transfer the pastries to a serving platter and pour any remaining honey syrup on top. Serve right away.

Make Ahead The glazed pastries can be kept overnight at room temperature in an airtight container.

Fried Greek Pastry with Honey and Nuts

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