Tortas Fritas (Uruguayan Fried Bread)
Local name: Tortas fritas
In short: Round fried flatbreads of simple wheat dough, crisp outside and soft inside, eaten warm with sugar or alongside mate on rainy days. It takes about 45 min in total and makes 8 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Resting
- 30 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 410 kcal
Tortas fritas are Uruguay's rainy-day food. When the weather turns gray, the smell of frying dough fills kitchens, and plates of warm golden rounds appear beside mate or hot coffee. The dough is nothing more than flour, salt, oil and water, rolled thin, cut into rounds and fried until puffed and blistered. Eat them plain, dusted with sugar, or spread with quince paste.
Instructions
- Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl and rub in the 60 ml of oil. Add the warm water gradually, mixing until a soft dough forms, then knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about 3 mm (1/8 in) thick. Cut rounds about 10 cm (4 in) wide with a cutter or a glass, re-rolling the scraps.
- Poke a small hole in the center of each round with a knife tip or your finger, so the rounds fry flat and evenly.
- Heat about 2.5 cm (1 in) of oil in a deep skillet to 180°C (350°F). Fry 2 or 3 rounds at a time for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until puffed and golden.
- Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with sugar while warm and serve at once.
Tips
- Keep the dough thin and the oil hot. Thick rounds or cool oil give heavy, greasy tortas.
- For a savory version, skip the sugar and sprinkle the warm rounds with flaky salt or a little smoked paprika.
Questions and answers
Can I make tortas fritas ahead of time?
The dough keeps in the fridge for a day. Fry the rounds just before eating, since they are best warm.
Why do you poke a hole in the center of tortas fritas?
The hole lets steam escape, so the rounds stay flat instead of ballooning, and it helps them cook evenly.
What do you eat tortas fritas with?
Sugar or quince paste (dulce de membrillo), usually with mate or coffee.
How long does it take to make Tortas Fritas (Uruguayan Fried Bread)?
About 45 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 20 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Tortas Fritas (Uruguayan Fried Bread)?
About 410 kcal per serving, with 6 g of protein, 52 g of carbohydrates and 20 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 410 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 52 g |
| Fat | 20 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Sodium | 450 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
