Apache Frybread
Ingredients
- oil, shortening, or lard
- 4 cups flour
- 2 tbsp baking powder
- 2 tsp salt
- warm water
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Slowly add water, little by little, as you knead the dry ingredients into a dough ball. When dough is smooth and elastic, separate the dough into about 6 balls (depending on the size frybreads you want). Put the balls into baking pan to rest and soften. Cover the dough ball pan with a clean dish towel to keep the dough moist.
- Pour/place the oil, shortening or lard into a heavy pan--cast iron if available. Heat the one inch of oil on the stovetop until very hot and fumes are visible. You can test the oil by placing a bit of dough in the oil. If it browns (but doesn't burn) quickly, then it's ready. When the oil is hot, roll a dough ball out with a rolling pin into a flat circle as thick as the dough for a pie crust. Gently place the round, flat dough into the hot oil. Using a 2-pronged fork, lift the bread after 20 seconds to see if it's brown and ready to flip. When ready, carefully flip with the 2-pronged fork. Remove from oil and place on a plate covered with a paper towel. Place a new paper towel on top of the finished fry bread to prepare for the second piece. Alternate the frybread/paper towel layers until the last frybread is on top of your stack.
- Serve frybread immediately with cooked pinto beans for a meal or honey or powdered sugar as a dessert.
Notes
I have never seen an Apache make fry bread using a recipe. As I've seen, it is always done by feel and sight. After 14 years in the White Mountains, a dear friend was finally able to give me the ingredients using cups, teaspoons, and tablespoons. Thank you, Joni! I added the other steps for nonnatives. Natives don't use a rolling pin.
