Whisk the flour, sugar and salt in a 28 cm / 11-inch mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Beat the yolks, whole egg, sour cream and vodka together in a small bowl, pour into the well, and stir with a fork and then your hands until a shaggy dough forms.

Knead on a lightly floured counter for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth, stiff and pale yellow. When you cut it, you should see tiny air blisters in the cross-section.

Shape the dough into a ball, cover it with the upturned bowl, and rest for 30 minutes at room temperature so it rolls out thin without snapping back.

Divide the dough into 4 pieces and keep 3 covered. Roll one piece on a floured surface to 1.5 mm, thin enough that you can see the shadow of your hand through it. Cut into 5 x 12 cm rectangles with a fluted wheel and make a 3 cm slit down the center of each. Re-roll the scraps once.

Pull one short end of each rectangle through its slit and draw it gently to form a twisted bow. Lay the shaped faworki in a single layer on a floured tray and repeat with the remaining dough. You should have about 36.

Pour the oil into a 22 cm / 9-inch heavy-bottomed 4-quart pot and heat to 180 C / 350 F. Drop in a dough scrap to test: it should sizzle and rise to the surface within 2 to 3 seconds.

Fry 2 to 3 faworki at a time for 20 to 30 seconds per side, flipping once with a spider skimmer or chopsticks, until light gold and blistered. Lift onto a wire rack set over a 33 x 46 cm / 13 x 18 inch sheet pan lined with paper towels. Let the oil return to 180 C / 350 F between batches, about 12 batches in all.

Cool the faworki on the rack for 5 minutes, then sift the powdered sugar over them through a fine-mesh sieve and serve.