Considered the star of Catalan baked goods, coca is a traditional pastry prepared in a few varieties: sweet, savory, open, and closed. Depending on the variety, coca may take on various shapes and forms and resemble a flatbread, a pizza, or even a cake.

The sweet variety usually consists of flour, sugar, butter, and eggs, and it is typically topped or filled with candied fruit, marzipan, cream, or pine nuts. The savory variety is prepared in the same way, but sugar and eggs are replaced by yeast and salt.

A wide range of ingredients may go on top or inside savory cocas, including vegetables, fish, meat, and mushrooms, among others. Savory varieties include pizza-like cocas or coques as they’re called in Catalan, such as coca de recapte (topped with vegetables and fish) and coca de xulla (with bacon and other meat).  Read more