In a large mixer bowl, stir together the yeast and half a cup of warm water or milk and allow the mixture to stand a few minutes, allowing the yeast to swell or dissolve.

Stir in one cup of water or milk, sugar, salt, vanilla, eggs, oil and most of the flour to make a soft dough. Knead for five to eight minutes (by hand or with a dough hook), adding flour as needed to form a firm, smooth, elastic dough.

Place the dough in a greased bowl. Place the bowl in a plastic bag and seal. (If you are not using it right away, you can refrigerate the dough at this point.) Let the dough rise for about 30-40 minutes. Gently deflate the dough. (If it is coming out of the fridge, allow it to warm up for about 40 minutes before proceeding).

Pinch off a golf- ball-sized piece of dough. Roll it out into an oval and let it rest, covered with a tea towel. Repeat with the remainder of the dough.

Heat about four inches of oil in a fryer (a wok works best but you can use a Dutch oven or whatever you usually use for frying) to about 375 degrees Fahrenheit. (I toss in a tiny bit of dough and see if it sizzles and swells immediately. If it does, the oil  temperature is where it should be.)

Stretch each oval into a rope, thinning them out and enlarging them. Then add them to the hot oil, one to two at a time. Turn once to fry until the undersides are deep brown. Lift the ropes out with tongs and drain them on paper towels.

Fill a large bowl with a few cups of white sugar. Toss in the sugar (with a little cinnamon if you wish) and shake off the excess.