First of all, a Paczki is delicious, second, it isn't pronounced anything like it sounds. Pronounced, pooch-kie, a Paczki is essentially Polish jelly doughnut, extremely popular this time of year. Chef Rob Leoni from the Coffee Time Bake Shop in Salem, Massachusetts is a Paczki expert. He stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to discuss its origins. Rob told Tonia that he starts making them in February, and keeps going all the way until Easter. Rob says it started as a way to use up all the eggs, sugar and lard in a house before Fat Tuesday was over. He noted you have to fry it three times as long as a regular doughnut, due to the richness of the dough. Traditionally, they've been stuffed with prune filling, but there are other types of fruit flavors as well. Rob sugars the doughnuts as soon as they're out of the fryer and adds whipped cream. He says it's kind of like a hamburger, except much sweeter.
