Sfenj

Sfenj(from theArabicwordArabic: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.The term Sfenj is used inAlgeriaand other parts of theMaghreb. It is calledbambalouniinTunisia,andSfenjinLibya.InMorocco, the term "Sfenj" is used, also sometimes nicknamed in the literature "Moroccan doughnuts".It is also calledKhfaforftayrinAlgeria,and is sometimes also dubbed as the "Algerian doughnut".
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.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").
It is unclear how Sfenj first spread to the Maghreb, although it is said to have been well known to theMarinid Dynasty, which ruledMoroccofrom 1270 to 1465. It spread toFranceduring the 13th century, where it inspiredbeignets.Sfenj were only sweetened with sugar starting in the 18th century, even thoughsugarcanehas been widely cultivated in theArab worldsince the 8th century. Before that, they were sweetened with honey orsyrup, or simply served plain.
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.
The chefMustafa an-Nakīrremarks that head meat withSfenjwas a popular breakfast inMarrakeshin his grandparents' time.
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 ofMaghrebineighborhoods, as they interacted with almost every household in their community every morning, and working as asufnājwas 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.
Traditionalsufnājeenare quickly going extinct in the modern Maghreb, as a result of the rise of industrial bakeries and the proliferation of Sfenj recipes over theInternetblogosphere.
InLibyaSfenj is eaten sprinkled withsugaror soaked inhoneyor date molasses. It can be eaten for Friday breakfast or withafternoon tea.Though it is eaten year-round,it is especially popular during the winter months and aroundRamadanandEid al-Fitr.It is the Libyan version of the Sfenjdoughnuts that are widely popular across the other countries of theMaghreb.
Sfenj can also be prepared with afried eggin the center.The egg can be runny or hard, and is often topped with cheese.
Sfenj (Hebrew:סְפינְג',romanized:Sfinj) entered Israeli culture before 1948, as Maghrebi Jews brought it with them when they immigrated toMandatory Palestine.Sfenj quickly became popular forHanukkah, as it is easy to prepare at home. However, Sfenj's ease of preparation contributed to its loss of popularity in Israel when theHistadrut, Israel's national labor union, pushed to make the jelly-filledsufganiyahthe traditional food of Hanukkah, during the late 1920s. Making sufganiyot at home takes a lot of work (particularly since most Israelis don't have deep fryers), and the Histadrut wanted sufganiyot to supplant the home-madelatkesin order to secure jobs for Jewish bakers.Their effort was successful: by 2016, Israel's 7 million Jews were eating 20 million sufganiyot per year.More Israeli Jews report eating sufganiyot for Hanukkah than fasting forYom Kippur.
In addition to ordinary Sfenj, there are two special varieties of Sfenj, not counting the different toppings (honey, syrup, and sugar) Sfenj can have:
Sfenj's importance to Moroccan culture is reflected in severalidiomsinMoroccan Arabic, including: