Fastnachts (Doughnuts)

• 3 medium potatoes
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 7-8 cups sifted enriched flour
• 1 package or cake yeast, active, dry or compressed
• 1/4 cup warm, not hot, water (lukewarm for compressed yeast)
• 1/2 cup soft margarine or butter
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg (optional)

Peel potatoes and cook in 2 cups boiling salted water until tender. Drain off water reserving 1 cup. Pour water into large mixing bowl.

Stir in sugar, salt and 1 cup of the flour. Beat until smooth.

Sprinkle or crumble yeast into 1/4 cup water (warm). Stir until dissolved, then beat into batter. Cover with a cloth and let rise in a warm place, free from draft, until bubbly. Meanwhile mash hot potatoes in pan in which they were cooked; measure 1 cup.

Place in mixing bowl, beat in margarine or butter, eggs, and nutmeg. When batter is full of bubbles, stir in potato mixture and remaining flour or enough to make a stiff dough.

Turn dough out on a floured board and knead 8 to 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic.

Place in a greased bowl, and brush top of dough with soft or melted shortening. Let rise in a warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk.

Punch down dough, cover bowl and store in refrigerator. About 2 hours before serving time, remove dough from refrigerator. Cut in half. Roll each half 1/3” thick on floured board.

Cut with a doughnut cutter or into 2 inch squares with a sharp knife. Place doughnuts on a floured board, cover with a cloth and let rise in a warm place until light and doubled in bulk.

Heat shortening to 365 degrees F. and lower doughnuts into deep fryer. As soon as they rise to the top, turn with a long handled fork to brown other side.

Drain on absorbent paper towels. Coat doughnuts with granulated sugar by shaking a few at a time in a paper bag containing about 1/2 cup sugar.

Makes 4 dozen doughnuts.