CHURROS (DEEP FRIED DOUGH SPIRALS)

Steps:

• Prepare frying oil:
• Heat 2 inches oil in a 4-quart Dutch oven or a wide 4-inch-deep heavy pot over high heat until a deep-fat thermometer registers 400°F (oil will be just beginning to smoke). Drop in citrus peel (oil will bubble vigorously) and leave in oil until browned, about 1 minute. Remove with tongs.
• Prepare dough:
• While oil is heating, bring water with salt to a boil, covered, in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan. Add 2 teaspoons olive oil and remove from heat. Immediately add flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until flour and water are combined well (mixture will be stiff and not very smooth). Fill churrera with some hot dough and wrap a kitchen towel around churrera canister to protect your hands.
• Make churros:
• Turn screw handle of churrera until dough emerges from star opening. Holding opening about 2 inches above oil, turn handle to squeeze dough into oil in a continuous stream, making a spiral shape. (Spirals take practice; have a helper coax dough into a spiral in oil with a chopstick, keeping dough away from side of pot. For beginners, small coils or any kind of curvy shape is fine.) Stop when dough stream breaks naturally or pot is full.
• Cook until underside is golden, about 1 1/2 minutes, and turn over with chopsticks. Then cook until golden, about 1 1/2 minutes more. Transfer churro with chopsticks to paper towels to drain and sprinkle with sugar.
• Make more churros in same manner, returning oil to 400°F between batches.
• Break churros into pieces if desired and serve immediately.