This sweets bzhy Saffron Recipe makes the fragrant fried pastry associated with Kermanshah. Bzhy—also written Beji or Bersaq—is mixed with milk, sugar, saffron and fennel or caraway, rested until easy to roll, then fried in small pieces.
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk, lukewarm
- 1/3 cup Kermanshahi animal oil or clarified butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 2 tablespoons ground fennel seeds or caraway seeds
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 cups plain flour, plus a little only if needed
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon concentrated saffron infusion
- Neutral oil, for frying
Fennel gives a sweeter anise-like aroma; caraway is earthier. Use one or the other for a clear flavour, or divide the 2 tablespoons between them.
Mix the saffron milk
Warm the milk until it feels just warm to the touch, not hot. Stir in the sugar until most of the crystals dissolve, then add the melted animal oil and saffron infusion.
A concentrated infusion colours the dough without adding unnecessary water. If yours is not ready, follow our guide to brewing saffron and let it cool before mixing.
Make the bzhy dough
Crush the fennel or caraway finely enough to release its aroma but leave a little texture. Whisk it with the flour and baking powder in a broad bowl.
Make a well in the centre and pour in about three-quarters of the milk mixture. Bring the flour inward with your fingers, adding the remaining liquid gradually.
Knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, supple and no longer sticks heavily to your hands. Flour absorbs milk differently, so do not add extra flour unless the dough remains wet after several minutes of kneading.
Rest the dough
Shape the dough into a ball and cover it closely with reusable wrap or place it in a covered container. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. A longer rest of up to 8 hours is also suitable.
Take the dough out 20 minutes before rolling. It should feel relaxed and easy to flatten without springing back. This recipe uses baking powder rather than yeast, so the rest is for hydration and handling, not a dramatic rise.
Shape the Kermanshah pastry
Pinch off pieces about the size of a walnut. Roll each one on a lightly floured surface to an oval or round 5 to 7 mm thick. Keep the remaining dough covered while you work.
Make the pieces similar in thickness so they cook together. Very thin bzhy turns crisp and dark before the centre develops its soft, bread-like bite; very thick pieces can remain doughy.
Fry bzhy evenly
Pour enough neutral oil into a deep, heavy pan for the pastries to float without touching the base. Heat it over medium heat to about 170°C/340°F.
Test with a small scrap of dough: it should rise with steady bubbles, not darken immediately. Fry a few pieces at a time, leaving room around them.
Turn once or twice and cook until both sides are an even deep gold, usually 3 to 5 minutes depending on thickness. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on a rack or kitchen paper.
Let the oil return to temperature between batches. Crowding cools it and makes the pastry absorb more oil; excessive heat browns the outside before the centre cooks.
Serve sweets bzhy
Let the pastries cool until warm before tasting. The spice and saffron become clearer as the surface settles.
Bzhy can be served for breakfast or with afternoon tea. The dough is already sweetened, but a light dusting of icing sugar is optional once the pastries are completely cool.
Troubleshooting
- Dough cracks while rolling: knead in 1 teaspoon milk, cover and rest for 10 minutes.
- Pieces puff into large bubbles: roll them evenly and prick the centre once with a fork.
- Pastry feels greasy: fry fewer pieces at a time and restore the oil to about 170°C.
- Centre stays raw: make the pieces thinner or lower the heat slightly so they have time to cook through.
Storage
Cool bzhy fully before putting it in an airtight container. Keep it at room temperature for up to 3 days, separating layers with baking paper. Warm it for a few minutes in a low oven rather than returning it to frying oil.
This recipe contains wheat and milk. Clarified butter is also a dairy ingredient.
