 | |||||||
| Alternative names | Bambalouni, khfaf, sfinz | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Doughnut | ||||||
| Place of origin | Al-Andalus | ||||||
| Main ingredients | Flour, water, sugar, yeast and salt | ||||||
| 137 kcal (570 kJ)[1] | |||||||
| |||||||
Sfenj (from theArabic wordArabic:سفنج,romanized: Safanj, meaningsponge) is aMaghrebidoughnut: a light, spongy ring of dough fried inoil. Sfenj is eaten plain, sprinkled withsugar, or soaked inhoney. It is a well-known dish in the Maghreb and is traditionally made and sold early in the morning for breakfast or in the late afternoon accompanied bytea—usuallyMaghrebi mint tea—orcoffee.[2] The term Sfenj is used inAlgeria and other parts of theMaghreb. It is calledbambalouni inTunisia,[3] andSfenz inLibya andMaghrebiJudeo-Arabic dialects.[4] InMorocco, the term "Sfenj" is used, also sometimes nicknamed in the literature "Moroccan doughnuts".[5][6][7] It is also calledKhfaf orftayr inAlgeria,[8][9][10] and is sometimes also dubbed as the "Algerian doughnut".[11][12]
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Sfenj originated inAl-Andalus (Moorish Spain). According to legend, Sfenj was created by mistake, when a baker accidentally dropped a ball of dough into a pan of hot oil.[13] Sfenj was an important part of Andalusi culture, whose role was best summarised by a verse from a contemporary poet: "The Sfenj bakers are worth as much as kings" ("سفاجين تحسبهم ملوكا").[14]
It is unclear how Sfenj first spread to the Maghreb, although it is said to have been well known to theMarinid Dynasty, which ruledMorocco from 1270 to 1465. It spread toFrance during the 13th century, where it inspiredbeignets.[14] Sfenj were only sweetened with sugar starting in the 18th century, even thoughsugarcane has been widely cultivated in theArab world since the 8th century. Before that, they were sweetened with honey orsyrup, or simply served plain.[14]
Although Sfenj comes from Al-Andalus, most bakers and sellers of Sfenj in the Maghreb have traditionally beenAmazigh (Berbers). The nomadic Amazigh are thought to have spread Sfenj throughout the Maghreb, aided in that by merchants who traveled across the region.[14]
The chefMustafa an-Nakīr remarks that head meat withSfenj was a popular breakfast inMarrakesh in his grandparents' time.[15]
Dedicated Sfenj bakers, calledsufnāj (سفناج), soon appeared throughout theMaghreb, attesting to the dessert's popularity.Sufnājeen (plural ofsufnāj) became central figures in the social life ofMaghrebi neighborhoods, as they interacted with almost every household in their community every morning, and working as asufnāj was considered a respectable career. In a traditional Sfenj bakery, thesufnāj (and their large circular fryer) sit on an elevated platform, raised slightly above the rest of the bakery, which is already raised more than a meter off the ground. Customers surround this platform and try to catch thesufnāj's attention to place their orders by raising their hand at him or her and shouting.[13][14]
Traditionalsufnājeen are quickly going extinct in the modern Maghreb, as a result of the rise of industrial bakeries and the proliferation of Sfenj recipes over theInternet blogosphere.[13]
In addition to ordinary Sfenj, there are two special varieties of Sfenj, not counting the different toppings (honey, syrup, and sugar) Sfenj can have:[13]
InLibya Sfenj is eaten sprinkled withsugar or soaked inhoney or date molasses. It can be eaten for Friday breakfast or withafternoon tea.[16] Though it is eaten year-round,[17] it is especially popular during the winter months and aroundRamadan andEid al-Fitr.[18] It is the Libyan version of the Sfenj[19] doughnuts that are widely popular across the other countries of theMaghreb.[4]
Sfenj can also be prepared with afried egg in the center.[18] The egg can be runny or hard, and is often topped with cheese.[4][17]
Sfenj (Hebrew:סְפינְג',romanized: Sfinj) entered Israeli culture before 1948, as Maghrebi Jews brought it with them when they immigrated to theLand of Israel.[20] Sfenj quickly became popular forHanukkah, as it is easy to prepare at home.
Sfenj's importance to Moroccan culture is reflected in severalidioms inMoroccan Arabic, including:[14]
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