Bamiyeh

Method

1. Make the syrup first so it has time to chill. Put 70 g of caster sugar and 50 ml of water in a small saucepan, bring to the boil over medium heat and let it bubble for 5 minutes without stirring, until faintly thickened. Grind the pinch of saffron with a few grains of sugar, stir it in with 1 tsp of lemon juice and 1 tsp of rose water, simmer 2 minutes more, then pour into a wide bowl and leave to cool completely — the syrup must be cold when the hot fritters go in.
2. For the dough, bring 75 ml of water, 12 g of butter and a pinch of salt to a rolling boil in a small heavy pan. Take it off the heat, tip in 50 g of plain flour all at once and beat hard with a wooden spoon until it comes together in a smooth ball with no dry flour left.
3. Return the pan to low heat and work the paste against the base for 1-2 minutes, until it looks matt and leaves a thin film on the pan. Scrape it into a bowl and spread it up the sides to cool for 5 minutes — it should be warm, not hot, or the egg will scramble.