MAIN INGREDIENTS
Tortos is a traditional dish originating from the Asturias region. This humble dish is made with a combination of corn flour, ground pork that’s seasoned with paprika (picadillo), and eggs. The tortos (corn fritters) are made with a combination of corn flour, wheat flour, salt, water, and olive oil.
Although they can be made with corn flour only, the wheat flour is usually added for better consistency. The dough is shaped into balls which are then left to rest in the fridge for a few hours. Later on, the dough is flattened and fried in hot olive oil on both sides until golden.
Elongated, crispy, crunchy and intensely fragrant, churros consist of deep-fried yeast dough encrusted with sugar. Although some may argue against consuming these sweet treats, warning others about the dangerous effects of sugar and fat on human bodies, the popularity of churros throughout the world doesn't seem to wane.
Originally invented by Spanish shepherds who could easily cook them in a pan over an open fire, today these unusually shaped, cinnamon sugar sprinkled twists are most commonly eaten in Spain and Latin America as a hot breakfast food, accompanied by a strong cup of coffee or a cup of thick hot chocolate.
MOST ICONIC Churros
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Rosquillas are traditional Spanish deep-fried donuts, characterized by their fluffy texture and a hole in the middle. They are typically prepared during the Holy Week festivities. Although there are many varieties of rosquillas, the classic ones are prepared with a combination of eggs, sugar, milk, oil, lemon zest, flour, baking powder, and anisette, which imparts a unique flavor to these tasty donuts.
Another classic variety of rosquillas is made with sweet muscat wine (moscatel), and those donuts are known as rosquillas de vino. After they have been deep-fried, rosquillas are typically served as a sweet snack, topped with cinnamon sugar.
VARIATIONS OF Rosquillas
MOST ICONIC Rosquillas
View moreRoscos fritos are typical Spanish desserts that are similar to donuts, but they have a different texture and are a bit sweeter than regular donuts. Also, roscos are often rolled in sugar after being fried. The dough is prepared with a combination of eggs, sugar, flour, oil, and grated lemon rind.
It is shaped into donut rings, then fried until golden. Although the place of origin of roscos fritos is thought to be in Andalusia, these sweet treats are nowadays consumed throughout the country, especially during the Easter festivities.
Borrachuelo is a traditional dessert originating from Málaga. The word borracho in the name means drunk, referring to the fact that the biscuits are soaked in wine and anisette. Although the cookies have a few versions, depending on their filling, they’re usually made with a combination of flour, olive oil, orange peel strips, moscatel wine, anisette, orange juice, lemon juice, sesame seeds, and fennel.
Once prepared, the smooth dough is rolled out and cut into disks, fried until golden, filled with pumpkin or sweet potato mixture, closed, dipped in honey, and dusted with icing sugar. Borrachuelos are especially popular during the carnival season and Christmas.
Xuixo (pronounced shoo-shoo) is a Catalan dessert originating from the city of Girona. Dating back to the 1920s, this pastry is cylindrical-shaped and filled with the delectable crema catalana. It's probably best to describe it as a cross between a croissant and a churro, but filled with cream.
The xuixo is then deep-fried and sprinkled with crystallized sugar. According to the city's lore, an acrobat named Tarlá fell in love with a pastry chef's daughter, and one day when the chef entered his bakery he heard a sneeze, leading him to Tarlá's hiding spot.
Pestiños are Spanish pastries fried in olive oil. The dough is made with flour, yeast, sesame, and sometimes orange juice and cinnamon. After the dough has been fried, it is traditionally topped with honey or sugar. These crunchy fritters have been prepared during the Holy Week and Christmas since the 16th century.
Serve them with sweet wine, tea, hot chocolate, or coffee.
Casadielles are traditional Spanish pastry rolls filled with walnut. The dessert originates from Asturias. The dough is made with olive oil, warm water, flour, and fine sugar, while the filling consists of walnuts, fine sugar, butter, and anise-flavored liqueur such as pastis, arak, or ouzo.
Once assembled, these pastries are typically fried, but if you're opting for a non-traditional method, they can be baked in the oven as well. Once golden brown, the casadielles are dusted with sugar and served.
Orelletes are Spanish and Andorran pastries that are especially popular in Catalonia and Valencia. The dough is made with flour, sugar, eggs, anisette, and olive oil, but it might also include orange and lemon juice or zest. The dough is traditionally fried by women, and in the past, the pastries had often been consumed after mass, when they were accompanied by a glass of sweet local wine.
The name orelletes means ears, referring to the ear-like shape of these festive pastries that are present at most weddings, birthdays, and similar celebrations. For the best experience, orelletes should be dusted with powdered sugar.
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