laisser pétrir la pâte

12:39 Aug 28, 2008 

Thanks for all the answers and interesting discussion. Given the difference of opinions, and sound arguments for both sides, I felt it was best to ask the chef himself.
It turns out that france japon had it right in her peer comment to mimi. "Laisser petrir" is used because it is indeed the machine that does the "kneading". Basically, it is set to mix on low for ten minutes. I then found other recipes that use this technique, including a very informative video recipe, which clearly showed the mixer with a hook attachment for kneading, and said to "mix on low for 8 to 10 minutes until it is a smooth, elastic consistency".
As for the dough/batter debate, which actually wasn't part of my question, but makes for interesting discussion nonetheless: since the mixture is "of medium consistency" it's really on the border of dough or batter. I've seen an equal number of accra recipes speak of dough and batter. To skirt the issue, I'm neutrally referring to it as a mixture, which is also frequently used in recipes.
Thanks to everyone once again.

08:56 Aug 28, 2008 

We would need to see the proportions of the recipe to try and assess what the consistency'd be like; I agree about the 10 minutes - maybe "set aside for 10 minutes" and if the mixture looks too thick add a bit more milk

18:14 Aug 27, 2008 

This is a key sentence: "Si besoin est, ajuster la consistance avec un peu de lait...". First of all, you wouldn't adjust the consistency by adding milk if the dough was resting. And as others said, resting for 10 minutes wouldn't really do much; and "afin d’obtenir une pâte légèrement élastique" usually means that the dough has been kneaded enough to stretch the glutens so that they harden and thus gives the dough an elastic characteristic. This can only be done by kneading, NOT resting. So my vote is for kneading.

11:34 Aug 27, 2008 

Accras are definitely fritters, made from a thick batter which is left to stand for a while, as is always the case with a good batter.

07:52 Aug 27, 2008 

The only refs I can see for "laisser pétrir 10 mins", are about leaving a bread dough to mix in a machine... Here's one in En: http://countyext.okstate.edu/kingfisher/fcs.htm

07:28 Aug 27, 2008 

In this case, pétrir means "to let smthg take shape" or "to mold". After a brief kneading, you let the dough take shape or mold in the blender. This is a separate but related meaning for "pétrir." Camille Abou Jamra is correct I think.

07:23 Aug 27, 2008 

"cette opération (pétrir) rend les pâtes à levure plus élastiques. Cet effet est dû au travail de la paume de la main qui presse sur la pâte après chaque pliage. Pour les pains à la poudre à pâte, on pétrit légèrement avec le bout des doigts. But in a food processor?

06:58 Aug 27, 2008 

I'm thinking you're right in that it's kneading by hand for 10 minutes - "laisser" could just be poor wording in French - I've seen that in recipes!