Chin-Chin: Nigerian Fried Cookies (2 ways)

• Pour flour, nutmeg, cinnamon and baking powder into a bowl and mix together.
• Cut butter into small pieces and add to flour mixture. Also, break and add the egg.
• Start mixing with a fork until the wet egg and butter are coated in flour. Then contiinue mixing with your fingers until it's all incorporated.
• Create a hole in the middle, then add sugar and milk. Mix in with fingers scooping the sides into the middle. It should start forming into a dough.
• Sprinkle a little flour unto a clean flat surface. Transfer the dough to the floured surface and knead lightly for about 5 minutes until you have a smooth dough.
• Cut the dough into halves, then cut into small pieces and mould into balls. Set one half aside for the different shapes.
• Taking each ball at a time, start with a rolling pin and roll out into a thick sheet.
• Transfer the sheet unto the base roller of the pasta machine and roll starting from the thickest setting '0'.
• Repeat and change the roller distance to change the thickness of the pastry sheet. Chin-chin does not need to be rolled thin like pasta, so rolling just 3 times on 0,1 & 2 is enough.

For the classic shape:

• Now transfer the rolled pastry sheet to the cutting attachment. The medium cutting attachment is what you should be using, not the tiny spaghetti-like one.
• Roll until it comes out just touching the bottom surface, then stop rolling and cut at roughly 1 inch apart using scissors.
• Continue rolling and cutting until the first half of the dough you set aside is rolled and cut.
• Place all in a tray and sprinkle with a little flour. Set aside.

For the butterfly shape:

• Lay the flat sheet down, placing the longest side horizontally, then cut vertically into medium rectangles.
• Make a slice through the middle but not all the way to the edge. Then fold one edge into the sliced hole and pull it out. It should look like a butterfly. Repeat for the remaining pastry and set on a flat surface.

Frying:

• Place a deep pot over medium heat. Pour in the soil until the pot is to the 2/3rd.
• Let the oil get hot for about 2 to 3 minutes. Throw in one small piece of the classic cut chin-chin to check if the oil is ready. If it floats back up with bubbles, then it's time to fry!
• Gently pour the half of the classic chin-chin into the hot oil, allow to fry for 3 minutes or until they are golden, then remove the chin-chin from hot oil with a perforated /frying spoon and place in a bowl or basket that has been covered with a paper towel to soak up excess oil.
• Repeat the previous step for the other half of the classic chin-chin. Then repeat the two steps above for the butterfly chin-chin but fry for 5 minutes instead of 3 minutes.
• Set aside to cool and for the paper towel to soak up any excess oil. You can serve and enjoy this delicious snack a few minutes after frying. You can also store in a jar for up to a week but do not refrigerate.