Sfinz
Libyan fried doughnut, popular year-round and during holidays.
Last updated
Sfinz is the Libyan name for Sfenj, a Maghrebi doughnut that originated in Al-Andalus. It is a light, spongy ring of dough fried in oil, traditionally eaten sprinkled with sugar or soaked in honey or date molasses. Sfinz is especially popular during winter, Ramadan, and Eid al-Fitr, and is commonly served for Friday breakfast or with afternoon tea.
Background
Sfinz is the Libyan variant of Sfenj, a Maghrebi doughnut that originated in Al-Andalus. According to legend, Sfenj was created by mistake when a baker accidentally dropped a ball of dough into hot oil. It became an important part of Andalusi culture, celebrated by a poet who wrote, 'The Sfenj bakers are worth as much as kings.' The dish spread to the Maghreb through trade and migration, though no single dynasty is confirmed as the vector. Beignets, meanwhile, trace back to ancient Rome and were known in France long before the 13th century, so any connection to Sfenj is not supported by established culinary history.
More in Libyan cuisine
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Sfenj (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced