Oliebollen, Belgian doughnuts

These Dutch and Belgian doughnuts are a true delight for your stomach. The name oliebollen literally translates in English to "oily spheres" and the dough is first deep fried and then eaten with some white powdered sugar on top of it. The Dutch ones usually have a filling of raisins, apples, etc. while the Belgian ones usually do not have a filling at all. And while it is usually eaten in the Netherlands around New Year, in Belgium we eat them on fairs, mostly during the cold winter period.

The slippery sword of Perchta

One myth around the origin of the oliebollen is that people used to be afraid of the Goddess Perchta, who would fly through the sky during mid-winter. Together with some evil spirits she would try to cut open the bellies of everyone she came across. If you had eaten these delicacies, the fat in your stomach from the oliebollen would make it slippery for her sword to cut your belly and so you could survive.

Fugitives from Portugal

Another story says that the oliebol originated from Portugal. It is a fact that there was already a similar food in Portugal at the time (oliekoeken). According to this story, Jews from Portugal would have fled to the Netherlands during the Spanish Inquisition and would have taken the recipe with them. Oliebollen means "oily spheres" and so the oil would be a reference to the forever burning lamp in the temple of Jeruzalem.

Delicious

Whatever the origin of this delicacy may be, it doesn't change the fact that it tastes delicious. The dough is usually made from eggs, flour, milk, yeast and some salt, but it can change depending on the family that makes it. Because of the yeast, the flour needs to be left alone for around an hour (so the oliebollen will be nice and airy once fried). Once this is finished you can use two spoons or an ice cream scoop to put the dough in the hot oil and wait until fully fried. After this you serve them with with white powdered sugar, so you can enjoy them to the fullest.

Fair in Ostend

Since I live near the coast, my family has the tradition to eat them on the fair that is here around October, called "Oktoberfoor". It is a fair situated around different parts of Ostend and is a lot of fun if you have children (or just for yourself). You can find some coupons online as well that you can use and there are a few days near the end of the fair that you can enter the attractions at a lower price.

Oliebol, Dutch doughnuts

Rue du Mitan 2, 6211 Frasnes-lez-Gosselies, Belgium

Oktoberfoor, Belgian fair

8400 Ostend, Belgium