Les Oreilles De Cochon (Pigs' Ears)
Submitted by jmbavon
Les oreilles de cochon are Cajun pig’s ear pastries, fried thin dough drizzled with cane syrup. A Louisiana French Acadian holiday tradition served warm. Crisp, sweet, irregular shape.
YIELD
24 servingsPREP
25 minCOOK
15 minREADY
75 minLes oreilles de cochon, literally “pig’s ears," are a Cajun French Acadian fried pastry made for holidays, family gatherings, and church suppers across Louisiana. Thin sheets of buttery dough are cut on the diagonal, dropped into hot fat, and as they fry they curl and twist into irregular shapes that loosely resemble pig’s ears. The fried pastries get drizzled while still hot with a thick, dark cane syrup cooked to soft-crack stage.
The vinegar in the dough is the surprise ingredient. A teaspoon of apple cider vinegar inhibits gluten development, which is what keeps these pastries crisp and tender instead of chewy. Don’t substitute lemon juice or water, the acid is doing real chemical work.
Rolling the dough as thin as pasta is non-negotiable. Thick dough fries up bready and dense, while paper-thin dough puffs into the crispy, airy texture that defines these. A pasta machine works beautifully if you have one. Otherwise, roll on a lightly floured surface and keep going thinner than you think necessary.
The traditional fat is lard, which gives the pastries their authentic flavor and clean crisp finish, but shortening works fine. Oil leaves a slightly greasy mouthfeel. Maintain 360F (180C) carefully; cooler oil makes greasy pastries, hotter oil burns the surface before the inside cooks.
Cane syrup is the proper Louisiana finish. Steens or Alaga brand if you can find them. The syrup must be cooked to soft-crack stage at 270F (130C) so it sets into a chewy, crackly glaze instead of running off.
Pro Tips
- Chill the dough fully for 30 minutes before rolling, warm dough stretches and tears
- Use a candy thermometer for the syrup, soft-crack stage is a precise window
- Drain on brown paper bags or paper towels for the cleanest finish
- Eat immediately, the pastries lose their crisp within a few hours
Variations
- Drizzle with maple syrup cooked to soft-crack if cane syrup is unavailable
- Dust with powdered sugar and cinnamon instead of syrup for an easier finish
- Add a half teaspoon of vanilla extract to the dough for an aromatic lift
Ingredients
Directions
Sift the flour, salt, and sugar together.
Rub in the butter with the fingertips as for pie dough.
Beat the eggs with the water and vinegar, then pour over the flour mixture and beat well.
Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead it 2 to 3 minutes until smooth.
Chill for 30 minutes; divide into 12 pieces.
Roll out very thin, like pasta dough, into rough 5-inch squares.
Cut each square in half on the diagonal.
Fry the pieces in single layers in about ½ inch of hot fat at 360 degrees F; lard is traditional, but you may use shortening.
Turn once when golden brown.
In the meanwhile, combine the syrup and ½ cup sugar in a saucepan.
Cook to the soft crack stage, about 270 degrees F.
Drain the fried pastries on brown paper and drizzle about 1 tablespoon of the syrup over each.
Eat at once.
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