Patagonian Fried Cakes

In a large bowl, sift the flour.
- in a saucepan, heat the milk with the water until it is at body temperature (warm, not very hot). add the salt and stir until dissolved. add yeast and stir until dissolved. add a couple of tablespoons of flour and mix. leave 10 minutes.
- make a hole in the middle of the flour and add a cup of the yeast preparation. Mix with the flour, with your hands or a wooden spoon. add more water and milk until a very soft, moist, not dry dough forms. Different qualities of flour will need more or less liquid, so you have to be careful.
- flour the table or counter with plenty of flour. transfer the dough from the bowl to the table, sprinkle with flour and knead. This step is essential: kneading adds heat to the dough and breaks down the wheat gluten fiber; this is what allows the dough to rise and makes it fluffy and light. so you have to knead for at least fifteen minutes, spreading the dough in all directions.
- put in a nylon bag and wrap well, or put in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. This prevents the dough from coming into contact with air, otherwise the surface will dry out and become hard. let it rise for a couple of hours. if you like, you can leave it in the fridge until the next morning.
- Roll out the dough with a rolling pin more or less up to one cm thick. cut into square or round fried cakes.
- fry in hot oil or fat. turn once.