Sfinz dough is very simple: just flour, water, yeast, a pinch of salt, and sometimes a little sugar. The yeast makes the dough rise and creates air bubbles inside, so when the dough hits hot oil it puffs up dramatically and turns hollow in the middle. The outside goes crispy while the inside stays soft and fluffy.
Street vendors in Libyan towns and cities often make sfinz fresh to order, frying them in large pans of oil right in front of you. The smell is irresistible — warm, yeasty dough meeting hot oil is one of those smells recognised across North Africa and the Mediterranean.
Sfinz is enjoyed in many North African and Middle Eastern countries under slightly different names. In Morocco it is called sfenj, in Tunisia it has its own regional variations. The recipe travelled with traders and communities across the Mediterranean for centuries.
In Libya, sfinz is often eaten during celebrations and at markets. It pairs perfectly with a glass of sweet mint tea — another Libyan favourite. The combination of crispy, warm dough and fragrant tea is a classic Libyan morning.