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{{short description|Maghrebi foodstuff made by frying rings of dough (loosely, doughnuts)}}
{{short description|Maghrebi fried doughnut rings}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox food
{{Infobox food
| name = Sfenj
| name = Sfenj
| image = Sfenj in Marrakesh Morocco.jpg
| image = Sfenj in Marrakesh Morocco.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| image_size = 250px
| caption = Sfenj in [[Marrakesh]], Morocco
| caption =
| image_alt = Sfenj in Marrakesh, Morocco
| image_alt =
| alternate_name = Bambalouni, khfaf, sfinz
| alternate_name = Bambalouni, khfaf, sfinz
| country = [[Maghreb]]
| country = [[Maghreb]]
| region =
| region =
| creator =
| creator =
| course =
⚫
| type = [[Doughnut]]
| course =
⚫
| served =
⚫
| type = [[Doughnut]]
⚫
| main_ingredient = Flour, water, sugar, yeast and salt
⚫
| served =
| variations =
⚫
| main_ingredient = Flour, water, sugar, yeast and salt
| variations =
| calories = 137
| calories = 137
| calories_ref = <ref>{{cite web |last1=Benlafouih |first1=Caroline |title=Sfenj Recipe - Moroccan Doughnuts or Fritters |url=https://www.thespruceeats.com/sfenj-recipe-moroccan-doughnuts-2394817 |website=The Spruce Eats |access-date=31 May 2018}}</ref>
| calories_ref = <ref>{{cite web |last1=Benlafouih |first1=Caroline |title=Sfenj Recipe - Moroccan Doughnuts or Fritters |url=https://www.thespruceeats.com/sfenj-recipe-moroccan-doughnuts-2394817 |website=The Spruce Eats |access-date=31 May 2018}}</ref>
| protein = 2
| protein = 2
| fat = 8
| fat = 8
| carbohydrate = 14
| carbohydrate = 14
| other =
| other =
}}
}}
'''Sfenj''' (from the [[Arabic]] word {{lang-ar|السفنج|Safanj}}, meaning [[sponge]]) is a [[Maghreb]]i [[doughnut]]: a light, spongy ring of dough fried in [[oil]]. Sfenj is eaten plain, sprinkled with [[sugar]], or soaked in [[honey]]. 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 by [[tea]]—usually [[Maghrebi mint tea]]—or [[coffee]].<ref name=طبخ>{{cite web |title=Sfenj |script-title=ar:سفنج |url=http://tabkh.org/sfenj.php |script-website=ar:طبخ.org |publisher=tabkh maghribi |access-date=31 May 2018 |date=2012 |language=ar}}</ref> The term sfenj is used in [[Algeria]] and other parts of the [[Maghreb]]. It is called ''[[bambalouni]]'' in [[Tunisia]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Recette de Bambalouni - Sfenj |url=http://www.chahiatayba.com/recettes/179/Bambalouni---Sfenj |website=Chahia Tayba |access-date=1 June 2018 |language=fr |date=2011}}</ref> and ''sfinz'' in [[Libya]].<ref name=Hamza>{{cite web |last1=Hamza |first1=Umm |title=SFINZ / SFENJ |url=http://www.halalhomecooking.com/sfinz-sfenj/ |website=Halal Home Cooking |access-date=7 August 2018 |date=9 April 2015}}</ref> In [[Morocco]], the term "sfenj" is used, also sometimes nicknamed in the literature "Moroccan doughnuts".<ref>{{Cite book |author=Ahmed Chouari |chapter=Memories of Jewish-Muslim Co-existence in the new ''Mellaḥ'' of Meknes and Jewish Heritage Conservation in Post-Colonial Morocco |editor=Joseph Chetrit |editor2=Jane S. Gerber |editor3=Drora Arussy |title=Jews and Muslims in Morocco, Their Intersecting Worlds|date=27 July 2021|isbn=9781793624932 |publisher=Lexington Books|page=382}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=A King's Feast: 40 Aromatic and Exotic Moroccan Recipes - The Best Cookbook to Celebrate Moroccan Independence Day|date=30 April 2020|author=Gordon Rock}}</ref><ref name="greatcouscous">{{Cite book|title=The Great Book of Couscous: Classic Cuisines of Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia|page=62-63|author=Copeland Marks|year=1994|publisher=the University of Virginia|isbn=9781556114205}}</ref> It is also called ''Khfaf'' or ''ftayr'' in [[Algeria]],<ref name="Nas E. Boutammina">{{cite book|author=Nas E. Boutammina|title=Le numide, langue populaire de la Berbérie |year=2022|publisher=BoD - Books on Demand |isbn=978-2-322-41710-0|pages=77}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| last = Scheherazade |first=Jawahir | title = Sfenj à la farine| work = Joyaux Sherazade | access-date = 1 June 2018| date = 24 November 2014| language=fr | url = http://www.lesjoyauxdesherazade.com/sfenj-a-la-farine/}}</ref> and is sometimes also dubbed as the "Algerian doughnut".<ref name="Miam Miam & Yum 2016">{{cite web | title=Sfenj – Algerian doughnuts | website=Miam Miam & Yum | date=3 Jun 2016 | url=https://miammiamyum.com/2016/06/03/sfenj-algerian-doughnuts/ | access-date=8 Apr 2022 | archive-date=22 May 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220522170640/https://miammiamyum.com/2016/06/03/sfenj-algerian-doughnuts/ | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Stephanou 2021">{{cite web | last=Stephanou | first=Marina | title=Sfenj (Doughnut): the Sweet Sensation of Algeria's Cross-Cultural Cuisine | website=pan-African | date=17 Feb 2021 | url=https://pan-african.net/sfenj-doughnut-the-sweet-sensation-of-algerias-cross-cultural-cuisine/ | access-date=8 Apr 2022}}</ref>
'''Sfenj''' (from the [[Arabic]] word {{langx|ar|سفنج|Safanj}}, meaning [[sponge]]) is a [[Maghreb]]i [[doughnut]]: a light, spongy ring of dough fried in [[oil]]. Sfenj is eaten plain, sprinkled with [[sugar]], or soaked in [[honey]]. 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 by [[tea]]—usually [[Maghrebi mint tea]]—or [[coffee]].<ref name=طبخ>{{cite web |title=Sfenj |script-title=ar:سفنج |url=http://tabkh.org/sfenj.php |script-website=ar:طبخ.org |publisher=tabkh maghribi |access-date=31 May 2018 |date=2012 |language=ar}}</ref> The term Sfenj is used in [[Algeria]] and other parts of the [[Maghreb]]. It is called ''[[bambalouni]]'' in [[Tunisia]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Recette de Bambalouni - Sfenj |url=http://www.chahiatayba.com/recettes/179/Bambalouni---Sfenj |website=Chahia Tayba |access-date=1 June 2018 |language=fr |date=2011}}</ref> and ''Sfenj'' in [[Libya]].<ref name=Hamza>{{cite web |last1=Hamza |first1=Umm |title=SFINZ / SFENJ |url=http://www.halalhomecooking.com/sfinz-sfenj/ |website=Halal Home Cooking |access-date=7 August 2018 |date=9 April 2015}}</ref> In [[Morocco]], the term "Sfenj" is used, also sometimes nicknamed in the literature "Moroccan doughnuts".<ref>{{Cite book |author=Ahmed Chouari |chapter=Memories of Jewish-Muslim Co-existence in the new ''Mellaḥ'' of Meknes and Jewish Heritage Conservation in Post-Colonial Morocco |editor=Joseph Chetrit |editor2=Jane S. Gerber |editor3=Drora Arussy |title=Jews and Muslims in Morocco, Their Intersecting Worlds|date=27 July 2021|isbn=9781793624932 |publisher=Lexington Books|page=382}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=A King's Feast: 40 Aromatic and Exotic Moroccan Recipes - The Best Cookbook to Celebrate Moroccan Independence Day|date=30 April 2020|author=Gordon Rock}}</ref><ref name="greatcouscous">{{Cite book|title=The Great Book of Couscous: Classic Cuisines of Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia|page=62-63|author=Copeland Marks|year=1994|publisher=the University of Virginia|isbn=9781556114205}}</ref> It is also called ''Khfaf'' or ''ftayr'' in [[Algeria]],<ref>Bouksani, Louisa (1989). ''Gastronomie Algérienne''. Alger, Ed. Jefal. p. 184.</ref><ref name="Nas E. Boutammina">{{cite book|author=Nas E. Boutammina|title=Le numide, langue populaire de la Berbérie |year=2022|publisher=BoD - Books on Demand |isbn=978-2-322-41710-0|pages=77}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| last = Scheherazade |first=Jawahir | title = Sfenj à la farine| work = Joyaux Sherazade | access-date = 1 June 2018| date = 24 November 2014| language=fr | url = http://www.lesjoyauxdesherazade.com/sfenj-a-la-farine/}}</ref> and is sometimes also dubbed as the "Algerian doughnut".<ref name="Miam Miam & Yum 2016">{{cite web | title=Sfenj – Algerian doughnuts | website=Miam Miam & Yum | date=3 Jun 2016 | url=https://miammiamyum.com/2016/06/03/sfenj-algerian-doughnuts/ | access-date=8 Apr 2022 | archive-date=22 May 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220522170640/https://miammiamyum.com/2016/06/03/sfenj-algerian-doughnuts/ | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Stephanou 2021">{{cite web | last=Stephanou | first=Marina | title=Sfenj (Doughnut): the Sweet Sensation of Algeria's Cross-Cultural Cuisine | website=pan-African | date=17 Feb 2021 | url=https://pan-african.net/sfenj-doughnut-the-sweet-sensation-of-algerias-cross-cultural-cuisine/ | access-date=8 Apr 2022}}</ref>

Outside the Maghreb, sfenj is often eaten by [[Moroccan Jews]] and other [[Sephardim]] in [[Israel]] and elsewhere for [[Hanukkah]].<ref>{{Cite book| publisher = Page Street Publishing| isbn = 9781624142758| last = Goren| first = Carine| title = Traditional Jewish Baking: Retro Recipes Your Grandma Would Make... If She Had a Mixer| date = 11 October 2016|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yJd_CwAAQBAJ|pages=176–178}}</ref> Sfenj and other doughnuts are eaten for Hanukkah because they are fried in oil, commemorating the [[Miracle of the cruse of oil|Hanukkah miracle]] wherein the oil that was supposed to light the lamp in the [[First Temple|Temple in Jerusalem]] for only one day lasted for eight. Though sfenj can be made at home, [[Moroccans]] almost always opt to purchase it from street vendors or bakeries, where they are commonly strung on palm fronds.<ref>{{Cite news| last = Koenig| first = Leah| title = A Moroccan Hanukkah Feast| work = The Tablet| access-date = 31 May 2018| date = 12 December 2014| url = http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-life-and-religion/187425/moroccan-feast-for-hanukkah}}</ref>


==History==
==History==
{{Unreliable sources section
⚫
Sfenj originated in [[Al-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.<ref name=Khadija>{{cite news |last1=الرحالي |first1=خديجة |script-title=ar:"السفناج" مهنة عريقة في المغرب العربي في طريقها للاندثار |access-date=31 May 2018 |newspaper=[[Asharq Al-Awsat]] |language=ar|issue=12001|url=http://archive.aawsat.com/details.asp?section=67&article=643770&issueno=12001 |date=7 October 2011}}</ref> 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" ("{{lang|ar|سفاجين تحسبهم ملوكا}}").<ref name=Hassan />
| date = February 2024
}}
⚫
Sfenj originated in [[Al-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.<ref name="Khadija">{{cite news |last1=الرحالي |first1=خديجة |script-title=ar:"السفناج" مهنة عريقة في المغرب العربي في طريقها للاندثار |access-date=31 May 2018 |newspaper=[[Asharq Al-Awsat]] |language=ar|issue=12001|url=http://archive.aawsat.com/details.asp?section=67&article=643770&issueno=12001 |date=7 October 2011}}</ref> 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" ("{{lang|ar|سفاجين تحسبهم ملوكا}}").<ref name="Hassan" />


It is unclear how sfenj first spread to the Maghreb, although it is said to have been well known to the [[Marinid Sultanate|Marinid Dynasty]], which ruled [[Morocco]] from 1270 to 1465. It spread to [[France]] during the 13th century, where it inspired [[beignet]]s.<ref name=Hassan>{{cite news |last1=أوالفقر |first1=حسن |script-title=ar:"الاسفنج" فطائر مغربية تحضر الى المائدة من بطون التاريخ! |url=http://archive.aawsat.com/details.asp?article=224823&issueno=9248 |access-date=31 May 2018 |newspaper=[[Asharq Al-Awsat]] |issue=9248 |date=24 March 2004 |language=ar}}</ref> Sfenj were only sweetened with sugar starting in the 18th century, even though [[sugarcane]] has been widely cultivated in the [[Arab world]] since the 8th century. Before that, they were sweetened with honey or [[syrup]], or simply served plain.<ref name=Hassan />
It is unclear how Sfenj first spread to the Maghreb, although it is said to have been well known to the [[Marinid Sultanate|Marinid Dynasty]], which ruled [[Morocco]] from 1270 to 1465. It spread to [[France]] during the 13th century, where it inspired [[beignet]]s.<ref name=Hassan>{{cite news |last1=أوالفقر |first1=حسن |script-title=ar:"الاسفنج" فطائر مغربية تحضر الى المائدة من بطون التاريخ! |url=http://archive.aawsat.com/details.asp?article=224823&issueno=9248 |access-date=31 May 2018 |newspaper=[[Asharq Al-Awsat]] |issue=9248 |date=24 March 2004 |language=ar}}</ref> Sfenj were only sweetened with sugar starting in the 18th century, even though [[sugarcane]] has been widely cultivated in the [[Arab world]] since the 8th century. Before that, they were sweetened with honey or [[syrup]], or simply served plain.<ref name=Hassan />


Although sfenj comes from Al-Andalus, most bakers and sellers of sfenj in the Maghreb have traditionally been [[Amazigh]] (Berbers). The nomadic Amazigh are thought to have spread sfenj throughout the Maghreb aided in that by merchants who traveled across the region.<ref name=Hassan />
Although Sfenj comes from Al-Andalus, most bakers and sellers of Sfenj in the Maghreb have traditionally been [[Amazigh]] (Berbers). The nomadic Amazigh are thought to have spread Sfenj throughout the Maghreb, aided in that by merchants who traveled across the region.<ref name=Hassan />


The chef [[Al-Amīn al-Hajj Mustafa an-Nakīr|Mustafa an-Nakīr]] remarks that head meat with ''sfenj'' was a popular breakfast in [[Marrakesh]] in his grandparents' time.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2021-04-14 |title=أساطير أكل الشارع: الأمين الحاج مصطفى |url=https://www.hespress.com/أساطير-أكل-الشارع-الأمين-الحاج-مصطفى-808558.html |access-date=2023-05-25 |website=Hespress - هسبريس جريدة إلكترونية مغربية |language=ar}}</ref>
The chef [[Al-Amīn al-Hajj Mustafa an-Nakīr|Mustafa an-Nakīr]] remarks that head meat with ''Sfenj'' was a popular breakfast in [[Marrakesh]] in his grandparents' time.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2021-04-14 |title=أساطير أكل الشارع: الأمين الحاج مصطفى |url=https://www.hespress.com/أساطير-أكل-الشارع-الأمين-الحاج-مصطفى-808558.html |access-date=2023-05-25 |website=Hespress - هسبريس جريدة إلكترونية مغربية |language=ar}}</ref>


Dedicated sfenj bakers, called ''sufnāj'' ({{lang|ar|سفناج}}), soon appeared throughout the [[Maghreb]], attesting to the dessert's popularity. ''Sufnājeen'' (plural of ''sufnāj'') became central figures in the social life of [[Maghreb]]i neighborhoods, as they interacted with almost every household in their community every morning, and working as a ''sufnāj'' was considered a respectable career. In a traditional sfenj bakery, the ''sufnāj'' (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 the ''sufnāj''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> attention to place their orders by raising their hand at him or her and shouting.<ref name=Khadija /><ref name=Hassan />
Dedicated Sfenj bakers, called ''sufnāj'' ({{lang|ar|سفناج}}), soon appeared throughout the [[Maghreb]], attesting to the dessert's popularity. ''Sufnājeen'' (plural of ''sufnāj'') became central figures in the social life of [[Maghreb]]i neighborhoods, as they interacted with almost every household in their community every morning, and working as a ''sufnāj'' was considered a respectable career. In a traditional Sfenj bakery, the ''sufnāj'' (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 the ''sufnāj''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> attention to place their orders by raising their hand at him or her and shouting.<ref name=Khadija /><ref name=Hassan />


Traditional ''sufnājeen'' are quickly going extinct in the modern Maghreb, as a result of the rise of industrial bakeries and the proliferation of sfenj recipes over the [[Internet]] blogosphere.<ref name=Khadija />
Traditional ''sufnājeen'' are quickly going extinct in the modern Maghreb, as a result of the rise of industrial bakeries and the proliferation of Sfenj recipes over the [[Internet]] blogosphere.<ref name=Khadija />


==Sfinz in Libya==
==Sfenj in Libya==
[[File: السفنز الليبي.jpg|thumb|Libyan ''sfinz'']]
[[File: السفنز الليبي.jpg|thumb|Libyan ''Sfenj'']]


In [[Libya]] Sfinz is eaten sprinkled with [[sugar]] or soaked in [[honey]] or date molasses. It can be eaten for Friday breakfast or with [[afternoon tea]].<ref name=Lib>{{cite web |script-title=ar:Libyan Dougnut: Sfinz (سفنز (معجنات مقلية |url=https://libyanfood.blogspot.com/2010/12/libyan-dougnut-sfinz.html |website=Libyan food |access-date=7 August 2018 |date=17 December 2010}}</ref> Though it is eaten year-round,<ref name=Alharathy>{{cite news |last1=Alharathy |first1=Safa |title=Libyan Cuisine: Sfinz |url=https://www.libyaobserver.ly/culture/libyan-cuisine-sfinz |access-date=7 August 2018 |work=Libyan Observer |date=26 August 2017}}</ref> it is especially popular during the winter months and around [[Ramadan]] and [[Eid al-Fitr]].<ref name=Wasat>{{cite news |script-title=ar:السفنز على الطريقة الليبية |url=http://alwasat.ly/news/kitchen/41308 |access-date=7 August 2018 |script-work=ar:بوابة الوسط الليبي |date=24 October 2014 |language=ar}}</ref> It is the Libyan version of the sfenj<ref>Also known as khfaf in [[Algeria]] and yo-yos in [[Tunisia]]</ref> doughnuts that are widely popular across the other countries of the [[Maghreb]].<ref name=Hamza/>
In [[Libya]] Sfenj is eaten sprinkled with [[sugar]] or soaked in [[honey]] or date molasses. It can be eaten for Friday breakfast or with [[afternoon tea]].<ref name=Lib>{{cite web |script-title=ar:Libyan Dougnut: Sfinz (سفنز (معجنات مقلية |url=https://libyanfood.blogspot.com/2010/12/libyan-dougnut-sfinz.html |website=Libyan food |access-date=7 August 2018 |date=17 December 2010}}</ref> Though it is eaten year-round,<ref name=Alharathy>{{cite news |last1=Alharathy |first1=Safa |title=Libyan Cuisine: Sfinz |url=https://www.libyaobserver.ly/culture/libyan-cuisine-sfinz |access-date=7 August 2018 |work=Libyan Observer |date=26 August 2017}}</ref> it is especially popular during the winter months and around [[Ramadan]] and [[Eid al-Fitr]].<ref name=Wasat>{{cite news |script-title=ar:السفنز على الطريقة الليبية |url=http://alwasat.ly/news/kitchen/41308 |access-date=7 August 2018 |script-work=ar:بوابة الوسط الليبي |date=24 October 2014 |language=ar}}</ref> It is the Libyan version of the Sfenj<ref>Also known as khfaf in [[Algeria]] and yo-yos in [[Tunisia]]</ref> doughnuts that are widely popular across the other countries of the [[Maghreb]].<ref name=Hamza/>


Sfinz can also be prepared with a [[fried egg]] in the center.<ref name=Wasat /> The egg can be runny or hard, and is often topped with cheese.<ref name=Hamza /><ref name=Alharathy />
Sfenj can also be prepared with a [[fried egg]] in the center.<ref name=Wasat /> The egg can be runny or hard, and is often topped with cheese.<ref name=Hamza /><ref name=Alharathy />


==Sfenj in Israel==
== Sfenj in Israeli culture ==
[[File:Homemade sfenj coated with honey.jpg|175px|right|thumb|Homemade sfenj coated with honey]]
[[File:Homemade sfenj coated with honey.jpg|175px|right|thumb|Homemade Sfenj coated with honey]]
Sfenj ({{lang-he|סְפינְג'|Sfinj}}) entered Israeli culture before 1948, as Maghrebi Jews brought it with them when they immigrated to [[Mandatory Palestine]].<ref name=RnK>{{cite web |last1=Kaufman |first1=Jared |title=Never Underestimate The Doughnut Lobby |url=http://roadsandkingdoms.com/2018/sfenj-in-morocco/ |website=Roads & Kingdoms |access-date=31 May 2018 |date=21 February 2018}}</ref> Sfenj quickly became popular for [[Hanukkah]], as it is easy to prepare at home. However, sfenj's ease of preparation contributed to its loss of popularity in Israel when the [[Histadrut]], Israel's national labor union, pushed to make the jelly-filled [[sufganiyah]] the traditional food of Hanukkah, during the late 1920s. Making sufganiyot well can only be done by professional bakers, and the Histadrut wanted sufganiyot to supplant the home-made [[latkes]] in order to secure jobs for Jewish bakers.<ref name=Hole /> Their effort was successful: by 2016, Israel's 7 million Jews were eating 20 million sufganiyot per year.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Solomonov |first1=Michael |title=Why Sfenj Couldn't Be the Official Dessert of Hanukkah |website=Food52 |url=https://food52.com/blog/18520-why-sfenj-couldn-t-be-the-official-dessert-of-hanukkah|access-date=31 May 2018 |date=1 December 2016}}</ref> More Israeli Jews report eating sufganiyot for Hanukkah than fasting for [[Yom Kippur]].<ref name=Hole>{{Cite magazine |last=Green Ungar |first=Carol |date=Winter 2012 |title=The "Hole" Truth About Sufganiyot |url=https://jewishaction.com/religion/shabbat-holidays/chanukah/the-hole-truth-about-sufganiyot/ |magazine=Jewish Action |publisher=Orthodox Union |access-date=31 May 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Nachshoni |first1=Kobi |title=Poll: 73% of Israelis fast on Yom Kippur |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4428978,00.html |access-date=31 May 2018 |work=YNet |date=13 September 2013}}</ref>
Sfenj ({{langx|he|סְפינְג'|Sfinj}}) entered Israeli culture before 1948, as Maghrebi Jews brought it with them when they immigrated to [[Mandatory Palestine]].<ref name=RnK>{{cite web |last1=Kaufman |first1=Jared |title=Never Underestimate The Doughnut Lobby |url=http://roadsandkingdoms.com/2018/sfenj-in-morocco/ |website=Roads & Kingdoms |access-date=31 May 2018 |date=21 February 2018}}</ref> Sfenj quickly became popular for [[Hanukkah]], as it is easy to prepare at home. However, Sfenj's ease of preparation contributed to its loss of popularity in Israel when the [[Histadrut]], Israel's national labor union, pushed to make the jelly-filled [[sufganiyah]] the traditional food of Hanukkah, during the late 1920s. Making sufganiyot well can only be done by professional bakers, and the Histadrut wanted sufganiyot to supplant the home-made [[latkes]] in order to secure jobs for Jewish bakers.<ref name=Hole /> Their effort was successful: by 2016, Israel's 7 million Jews were eating 20 million sufganiyot per year.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Solomonov |first1=Michael |title=Why Sfenj Couldn't Be the Official Dessert of Hanukkah |website=Food52 |url=https://food52.com/blog/18520-why-sfenj-couldn-t-be-the-official-dessert-of-hanukkah|access-date=31 May 2018 |date=1 December 2016}}</ref> More Israeli Jews report eating sufganiyot for Hanukkah than fasting for [[Yom Kippur]].<ref name=Hole>{{Cite magazine |last=Green Ungar |first=Carol |date=Winter 2012 |title=The "Hole" Truth About Sufganiyot |url=https://jewishaction.com/religion/shabbat-holidays/chanukah/the-hole-truth-about-sufganiyot/ |magazine=Jewish Action |publisher=Orthodox Union |access-date=31 May 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Nachshoni |first1=Kobi |title=Poll: 73% of Israelis fast on Yom Kippur |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4428978,00.html |access-date=31 May 2018 |work=YNet |date=13 September 2013}}</ref>


==Varieties==
==Varieties==
In addition to ordinary sfenj, there are two special varieties of sfenj, not counting the different toppings (honey, syrup, and sugar) sfenj can have:<ref name=Khadija />
In addition to ordinary Sfenj, there are two special varieties of Sfenj, not counting the different toppings (honey, syrup, and sugar) Sfenj can have:<ref name=Khadija />
*''Sfenj matifiyya'' ({{lang|ar|السفنج المطفية}}), sfenj that is pounded flat and then fried a second time
*''Sfenj matifiyya'' ({{lang|ar|السفنج المطفية}}), Sfenj that is pounded flat and then fried a second time
*''Sfenj matifiyya bil-baydh'' ({{lang|ar|السفنجة المطفية بالبيض}}), sfenj matifiyya with an [[Egg as food|egg]] added before refrying
*''Sfenj matifiyya bil-baydh'' ({{lang|ar|السفنجة المطفية بالبيض}}), Sfenj matifiyya with an [[Egg as food|egg]] added before refrying


==In language==
==In language==
Sfenj's importance to Moroccan culture is reflected in several [[idioms]] in [[Moroccan Arabic]], including:<ref name=Hassan />
Sfenj's importance to Moroccan culture is reflected in several [[idioms]] in [[Moroccan Arabic]], including:<ref name=Hassan />
*"Give someone a sfenj and he'll say it's ugly" ({{lang|ar|صاب سفنجة وقال عوجة}}), meaning "[[do not judge a book by its cover]]" or "[[Wikt:bite the hand that feeds one|do not bite the hand that feeds you]]."
*"Give someone a Sfenj and he'll say it's ugly" ({{lang|ar|صاب سفنجة وقال عوجة}}), meaning "[[do not judge a book by its cover]]" or "[[Wikt:bite the hand that feeds one|do not bite the hand that feeds you]]."
*"As if hitting a dog with a sfenj" ({{lang|ar|بحال يلا ضربتي كلب باسفنجة}}), meaning a futile or [[Sisyphus|Sisyphean]] endeavor, especially an act of pointless petty revenge (because if someone hits a dog with a sfenj, the dog will eat and like it).
*"As if hitting a dog with a Sfenj" ({{lang|ar|بحال يلا ضربتي كلب باسفنجة}}), meaning a futile or [[Sisyphus|Sisyphean]] endeavor, especially an act of pointless petty revenge (because if someone hits a dog with a Sfenj, the dog will eat and like it).
*"Demanding oil from a ''sufnāj''" ({{lang|ar|طلب الزيت من سفناج}}), meaning "taking from the needy" (because a ''sufnāj''—a sfenj baker—uses large amounts of cooking oil).
*"Demanding oil from a ''sufnāj''" ({{lang|ar|طلب الزيت من سفناج}}), meaning "taking from the needy" (because a ''sufnāj''—a Sfenj baker—uses large amounts of cooking oil).


==Gallery==
==Gallery==
<gallery mode="packed">
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Sfenj being deep fried in Marrakesh Morocco.ogg|Sfenj being deep fried in a traditional tilted deep fryer in Marrakesh, Morocco. The sfenj are placed on the edge with no oil to fry the bottom and inflate the dough. Once fully inflated they are moved into the hot oil.
File:Sfenj being deep fried in Marrakesh Morocco.ogg|Sfenj being deep-fried in a traditional tilted deep fryer in Marrakesh, Morocco. The Sfenj are placed on the edge with no oil to fry the bottom and inflate the dough. Once fully inflated they are moved into the hot oil.
File:Sfenj in Essaouira Morocco.jpg|Sfenj in Essaouira Morocco. Sfenj are still bound together by passing a length of palm frond through the center as is pictured here.
File:Sfenj in Essaouira Morocco.jpg|Sfenj in Essaouira Morocco. Sfenj are still bound together by passing a length of palm frond through the center as is pictured here.
File:Plats Algeriens (1) sfenj.jpg|Method for making sfenj in Algeria
File:Plats Algeriens (1) sfenj.jpg|Method for making Sfenj in Algeria
File:Khfaf de Kabylie.jpg|Khfaf from [[Kabylie]] in Algeria
File:Khfaf de Kabylie.jpg|Khfaf from [[Kabylie]] in Algeria
File:Sfenj sprinkled with sugar and served on a plate.jpg|Sfenj sprinkled with sugar and served on a plate
File:Sfenj sprinkled with sugar and served on a plate.jpg|Sfenj sprinkled with sugar and served on a plate
Line 72: Line 73:


==See also==
==See also==
{{portal|Food|Morocco|Judaism}}
{{portal|Food}}

*[[Moroccan cuisine]]
*[[Malasada]], the Portuguese equivalent
*[[Arab cuisine]]
*[[Buñuelo]], the Latin American equivalent
*[[Buñuelo]], the Latin American equivalent
*[[Frittelle]], the Italian equivalent
*[[Frittelle]], the Italian equivalent
*[[Picarones]]
*[[List of doughnut varieties]]
*[[List of doughnut varieties]]

*[[List of Moroccan dishes]]

*[[List of Middle Eastern dishes]]
*[[Sufganiyah]]
*[[Zalabiyeh]]


==References==
==References==
Line 88: Line 88:


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.halalhomecooking.com/sfinz-sfenj/ Sfinz/sfenj recipe]
*[http://www.halalhomecooking.com/sfinz-sfenj/ Sfenj/Sfenj recipe]
*[https://www.libyaobserver.ly/culture/libyan-cuisine-sfinz Sfinz recipe] from the ''Libyan Observer''
*[https://www.libyaobserver.ly/culture/libyan-cuisine-sfinz Sfenj recipe] from the ''Libyan Observer''


{{Doughnuts}}
{{Doughnuts}}
Line 96: Line 96:
{{Cuisine of Algeria}}
{{Cuisine of Algeria}}
{{Cuisine of Tunisia}}
{{Cuisine of Tunisia}}
{{Cuisine of Israel}}
{{Street food}}
{{Street food}}


[[Category:Doughnuts]]
[[Category:Doughnuts]]
[[Category:Arab desserts]]
[[Category:Maghrebi cuisine]]
[[Category:Algerian cuisine]]
[[Category:Moroccan cuisine]]
[[Category:Israeli desserts]]
[[Category:Hanukkah foods]]
[[Category:Street food]]
[[Category:Street food]]

Latest revision as of 13:19, 22 October 2024

Sfenj
Alternative namesBambalouni, khfaf, sfinz
TypeDoughnut
Place of originMaghreb
Main ingredientsFlour, water, sugar, yeast and salt
Food energy
(per serving)
137 kcal (574 kJ)[1]
Nutritional value
(per serving)
Protein2 g
Fat8 g
Carbohydrate14 g

Sfenj (from the Arabic word Arabic: سفنج, romanized: Safanj, meaning sponge) is a Maghrebi doughnut: a light, spongy ring of dough fried in oil. Sfenj is eaten plain, sprinkled with sugar, or soaked in honey. 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 by tea—usually Maghrebi mint tea—or coffee.[2] The term Sfenj is used in Algeria and other parts of the Maghreb. It is called bambalouni in Tunisia,[3] and Sfenj in Libya.[4] In Morocco, the term "Sfenj" is used, also sometimes nicknamed in the literature "Moroccan doughnuts".[5][6][7] It is also called Khfaf or ftayr in Algeria,[8][9][10] and is sometimes also dubbed as the "Algerian doughnut".[11][12]

History

[edit]

Sfenj originated in Al-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 the Marinid Dynasty, which ruled Morocco from 1270 to 1465. It spread to France during the 13th century, where it inspired beignets.[14] Sfenj were only sweetened with sugar starting in the 18th century, even though sugarcane has been widely cultivated in the Arab world since the 8th century. Before that, they were sweetened with honey or syrup, or simply served plain.[14]

Although Sfenj comes from Al-Andalus, most bakers and sellers of Sfenj in the Maghreb have traditionally been Amazigh (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 chef Mustafa an-Nakīr remarks that head meat with Sfenj was a popular breakfast in Marrakesh in his grandparents' time.[15]

Dedicated Sfenj bakers, called sufnāj (سفناج), soon appeared throughout the Maghreb, attesting to the dessert's popularity. Sufnājeen (plural of sufnāj) became central figures in the social life of Maghrebi neighborhoods, as they interacted with almost every household in their community every morning, and working as a sufnāj was considered a respectable career. In a traditional Sfenj bakery, the sufnāj (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 the sufnāj's attention to place their orders by raising their hand at him or her and shouting.[13][14]

Traditional sufnājeen are quickly going extinct in the modern Maghreb, as a result of the rise of industrial bakeries and the proliferation of Sfenj recipes over the Internet blogosphere.[13]

Sfenj in Libya

[edit]
Libyan Sfenj

In Libya Sfenj is eaten sprinkled with sugar or soaked in honey or date molasses. It can be eaten for Friday breakfast or with afternoon tea.[16] Though it is eaten year-round,[17] it is especially popular during the winter months and around Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr.[18] It is the Libyan version of the Sfenj[19] doughnuts that are widely popular across the other countries of the Maghreb.[4]

Sfenj can also be prepared with a fried egg in the center.[18] The egg can be runny or hard, and is often topped with cheese.[4][17]

Sfenj in Israeli culture

[edit]
Homemade Sfenj coated with honey

Sfenj (Hebrew: סְפינְג', romanized: Sfinj) entered Israeli culture before 1948, as Maghrebi Jews brought it with them when they immigrated to Mandatory Palestine.[20] Sfenj quickly became popular for Hanukkah, as it is easy to prepare at home. However, Sfenj's ease of preparation contributed to its loss of popularity in Israel when the Histadrut, Israel's national labor union, pushed to make the jelly-filled sufganiyah the traditional food of Hanukkah, during the late 1920s. Making sufganiyot well can only be done by professional bakers, and the Histadrut wanted sufganiyot to supplant the home-made latkes in order to secure jobs for Jewish bakers.[21] Their effort was successful: by 2016, Israel's 7 million Jews were eating 20 million sufganiyot per year.[22] More Israeli Jews report eating sufganiyot for Hanukkah than fasting for Yom Kippur.[21][23]

Varieties

[edit]

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]

  • Sfenj matifiyya (السفنج المطفية), Sfenj that is pounded flat and then fried a second time
  • Sfenj matifiyya bil-baydh (السفنجة المطفية بالبيض), Sfenj matifiyya with an egg added before refrying

In language

[edit]

Sfenj's importance to Moroccan culture is reflected in several idioms in Moroccan Arabic, including:[14]

  • "Give someone a Sfenj and he'll say it's ugly" (صاب سفنجة وقال عوجة), meaning "do not judge a book by its cover" or "do not bite the hand that feeds you."
  • "As if hitting a dog with a Sfenj" (بحال يلا ضربتي كلب باسفنجة), meaning a futile or Sisyphean endeavor, especially an act of pointless petty revenge (because if someone hits a dog with a Sfenj, the dog will eat and like it).
  • "Demanding oil from a sufnāj" (طلب الزيت من سفناج), meaning "taking from the needy" (because a sufnāj—a Sfenj baker—uses large amounts of cooking oil).
[edit]
  • Sfenj being deep-fried in a traditional tilted deep fryer in Marrakesh, Morocco. The Sfenj are placed on the edge with no oil to fry the bottom and inflate the dough. Once fully inflated they are moved into the hot oil.
  • Sfenj in Essaouira Morocco. Sfenj are still bound together by passing a length of palm frond through the center as is pictured here.
    Sfenj in Essaouira Morocco. Sfenj are still bound together by passing a length of palm frond through the center as is pictured here.
  • Method for making Sfenj in Algeria
    Method for making Sfenj in Algeria
  • Khfaf from Kabylie in Algeria
    Khfaf from Kabylie in Algeria
  • Sfenj sprinkled with sugar and served on a plate
    Sfenj sprinkled with sugar and served on a plate

See also

[edit]


References

[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sfenj.
  1. ^ Benlafouih, Caroline. "Sfenj Recipe - Moroccan Doughnuts or Fritters". The Spruce Eats. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  2. ^ "Sfenj" سفنج. طبخ.org (in Arabic). tabkh maghribi. 2012. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  3. ^ "Recette de Bambalouni - Sfenj". Chahia Tayba (in French). 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  4. ^ a b c Hamza, Umm (9 April 2015). "SFINZ / SFENJ". Halal Home Cooking. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  5. ^ Ahmed Chouari (27 July 2021). "Memories of Jewish-Muslim Co-existence in the new Mellaḥ of Meknes and Jewish Heritage Conservation in Post-Colonial Morocco". In Joseph Chetrit; Jane S. Gerber; Drora Arussy (eds.). Jews and Muslims in Morocco, Their Intersecting Worlds. Lexington Books. p. 382. ISBN 9781793624932.
  6. ^ Gordon Rock (30 April 2020). A King's Feast: 40 Aromatic and Exotic Moroccan Recipes - The Best Cookbook to Celebrate Moroccan Independence Day.
  7. ^ Copeland Marks (1994). The Great Book of Couscous: Classic Cuisines of Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. the University of Virginia. p. 62-63. ISBN 9781556114205.
  8. ^ Bouksani, Louisa (1989). Gastronomie Algérienne. Alger, Ed. Jefal. p. 184.
  9. ^ Nas E. Boutammina (2022). Le numide, langue populaire de la Berbérie. BoD - Books on Demand. p. 77. ISBN 978-2-322-41710-0.
  10. ^ Scheherazade, Jawahir (24 November 2014). "Sfenj à la farine". Joyaux Sherazade (in French). Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  11. ^ "Sfenj – Algerian doughnuts". Miam Miam & Yum. 3 June 2016. Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  12. ^ Stephanou, Marina (17 February 2021). "Sfenj (Doughnut): the Sweet Sensation of Algeria's Cross-Cultural Cuisine". pan-African. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  13. ^ a b c d الرحالي, خديجة (7 October 2011). "السفناج" مهنة عريقة في المغرب العربي في طريقها للاندثار. Asharq Al-Awsat (in Arabic). No. 12001. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  14. ^ a b c d e f أوالفقر, حسن (24 March 2004). "الاسفنج" فطائر مغربية تحضر الى المائدة من بطون التاريخ!. Asharq Al-Awsat (in Arabic). No. 9248. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  15. ^ "أساطير أكل الشارع: الأمين الحاج مصطفى". Hespress - هسبريس جريدة إلكترونية مغربية (in Arabic). 14 April 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  16. ^ Libyan Dougnut: Sfinz (سفنز (معجنات مقلية. Libyan food. 17 December 2010. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  17. ^ a b Alharathy, Safa (26 August 2017). "Libyan Cuisine: Sfinz". Libyan Observer. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  18. ^ a b السفنز على الطريقة الليبية. بوابة الوسط الليبي (in Arabic). 24 October 2014. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  19. ^ Also known as khfaf in Algeria and yo-yos in Tunisia
  20. ^ Kaufman, Jared (21 February 2018). "Never Underestimate The Doughnut Lobby". Roads & Kingdoms. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  21. ^ a b Green Ungar, Carol (Winter 2012). "The "Hole" Truth About Sufganiyot". Jewish Action. Orthodox Union. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  22. ^ Solomonov, Michael (1 December 2016). "Why Sfenj Couldn't Be the Official Dessert of Hanukkah". Food52. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  23. ^ Nachshoni, Kobi (13 September 2013). "Poll: 73% of Israelis fast on Yom Kippur". YNet. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
[edit]
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