Greek ladies’ fingers (daktyla)

Daktyla were one of the first sweets I learned to make, I would happily help my mother make them by rolling out the pastry. Now as an old woman, I still make them for my grandchildren. We often eat daktyla during Lent, as they don’t contain any dairy.

Credit: Sean Fennessey

• makes

  14

• prep

  25 minutes

• cook

  45 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 330 g (1½ cups) caster sugar, plus 55 g (¼ cup) caster sugar
• 440 ml water
• 1 cinnamon quill
• 2 strips of lemon rind
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 160 g chopped toasted walnuts, plus extra to serve
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Pastry

• 500 g (3⅓ cups) flour
• 1½ tbsp caster sugar
• 125 ml (½ cup) peanut oil
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 1 egg, lightly whisked

Instructions

To make syrup, place 330 g (1½ cups) caster sugar, 440 ml water, 1 cinnamon quill, 2 strips of lemon rind and 1 tsp lemon juice in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 8 minutes. Allow to cool.

To make filling, mix 160 g chopped toasted walnuts in a bowl with 1 tsp cinnamon and 55 g (¼ cup) caster sugar. To make pastry, combine 500 g (3⅓ cups) flour, 1½ tbsp caster sugar, 125 ml (½ cup) peanut oil and ⅛ tsp salt in a bowl and stir to combine. Slowly add 200 ml iced water and knead to form a soft dough. Roll out to 2 mm-thick and cut into 14 x 10cm squares, brush edges with eggwash.

Place 1 tablespoonful of filling in the centre of each square. Fold one end over and seal edges with a fork. Fill a large saucepan one-third full with vegetable oil. Heat over medium heat to 180°C (or until a cube of bread turns golden in 10 seconds). Working in batches, gently drop pastries into oil and fry, turning halfway, for 12 minutes or until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain. While still hot, place in syrup and soak for 6 minutes, turning halfway. Drain excess syrup and sprinkle with extra chopped walnuts.

Photography Sean Fennessey.

As seen in Feast magazine, September 2014, Issue 35.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.