Homemade Upstipci Balkan cuisine

To make the ustipci recipe, first sift the flour into a large bowl. Make sure the bowl is large enough - the dough will rise and needs room to expand.

In a smaller bowl, mix the dry yeast, sugar and salt with the warm water (but not too hot so as not to destroy the yeast). Leave the mixture to stand for 5 minutes until it starts to foam. This step shows whether the yeast is active. If it does not foam, I recommend replacing it with fresh yeast.

Add the yeast mixture, add the oil and knead everything well. During one of my first attempts, I found that kneading is very important to get the perfect fluffy ustipci. You should knead the dough vigorously for at least 5-7 minutes until it becomes elastic.

Cover the dough and leave to stand in a warm place. After about 45 minutes, the dough should have doubled in size.

With lightly floured hands, divide the risen dough into equal pieces and shape into balls. Make sure that the balls are not too big, as they will continue to rise in the hot oil during frying.

Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and deep-fry the balls until golden brown. I always remember my grandma doing this - when she fried the ustipci, the whole kitchen was filled with a delicious aroma.

Place the fried ustipci balls on kitchen paper to soak up the excess oil. A traditional dessert from Balkan cuisine. Serve while still warm!