Fried Breads From Around The World

When we started this project, we envisioned an overview of fried breads from around the world with a handful of accompanying recipes. We soon realized that this was a project with no end, that every culture seems to have fried breads with never ending iterations. We ended up with a sampling of breads. We hope that this whets your appetite. Do a little research and experimenting. Fried breads are wonderful—especially in the summertime when we may not want the oven on.

North America

Pancakes and waffles are the most popular fried breads in North America. Typically served for breakfast or brunch they can also be made as savory cakes and served with sauces for lunch or dinner.

There are many other variations of fried breads in America. Of course, many donuts and pastries are fried and therefore qualify as fried breads. Yeasted dough is fried at home or sold in food stands, carnivals, and fairs. Yeasted fried bread is often called fried dough and in some areas of the country, scones. These are usually served with butter and syrup or honey or dusted with powdered sugar. Fried yeasted bread is also known as elephant ears, flying saucers, and in Canada, beavertails.

In Mexican restaurants in the United States, you will often find fried bread served as sopadillas though they are unknown in Mexico. These breads can be made with yeast or baking powder and are deep fried.

There is also a history of fried bread among the American Natives. When the American Indians were located to reservations in the 1800’s, they were often in dire straits and learned to make bread from not much more than flour and water. From this came their style of fry bread. The dough is pressed flat and can be leavened with either yeast or baking powder. Often these bread pieces are topped with beans, ground beef, salsa, and cheese to make Indian or Navajo tacos.

Central and South America

While Mexicans may not have sopadillas, the Chileans do. Theirs are often from a dough including pumpkin or squash. Sopadillas are also popular in Argentina though these may be baked in an adobe oven, not fried. Both wheat and corn flours are used in these South American sapodillas.

South American sopadillas are used as either side dishes or desserts. For side dishes, they are often salty. For desserts, they are sweetened with cinnamon and maybe a little orange.

Buñuelos are made in Latin America. Traditionally, they are pretzel-shaped and covered in anise caramel or served with a cinnamon and sugar topping.

Churros originated in Spain but are popular in Latin America and the Caribbean. They have found their way to the United States and can be found in Hispanic neighborhoods, ball parks, and fairs.

Churros are extruded through a nozzle creating an eight-pointed star. They’re fried to a crispy consistency as doughnuts are and can be straight or twisted. Depending on the size and sweetness, churros are used as a sweet snack or a dessert.

Scotland

Bannock originated in Scotland but like so many fry breads, has evolved considerably. Traditionally, a bannock was an oatcake but in Eastern Canada where bannock is quite popular, it is made with wheat flour.

Bannock was a staple for Western and Canadian fur traders, the bread that accompanied their pemmican. Today, bannock works for backpackers and canoeists. For these campers, the flour, baking powder, and oatmeal are mixed in a bag before leaving home with dried fruits and nuts added. At camp, enough water is added to make a stiff dough, the dough is shaped into patties and fried. If you are going to do some camping, consider making a bannock mix.

Italy

Zeppole are small, light, fried cakes from Italy. These sweet cakes are sold on the streets, given as gifts, and consumed on holidays. They can be filled with custard, jelly, or honey-butter and covered with powdered sugar.

We looked at a number of recipes, many of which were too complicated for the home baker. The following recipe is easy though maybe not authentic. Authentic or not, these are decadently good.

Eastern Europe

Crepes are thin pancakes that originated in Eastern Europe but have migrated to America. They can be made in a frying pan though if you use a specially made pan intended for crepes, it’s a little easier. Crepes are filled with cheese and sometimes fruit fillings to make blintzes.

India

Chapatti is an unleavened griddle bread similar to pita bread. In India it is cooked on a special griddle called a tava and held over a fire so that steam within the bread puffs it up. The result is a puffy disc of flat bread. Of course, we didn’t have a tava or a fire in our test kitchen so we improvised. Our version may not be authentic but it is so quick and easy, it’s worth making.

Chapatti is made from whole grain durum flour. We used a mixture of stone ground whole wheat and all purpose flours. We anglicized the recipe further by adding a touch of sugar.

In India, Chapatti is a complement to vegetables, stews, and other dishes. We buttered them. Katie, our teenage daughter, walked in during the session and promptly found some jam to smear on them. She graduated to hot buttered chapatti sprinkled with plenty of cinnamon and sugar and declared them scrumptious.

Portugal

Portuguese fry bread is a made with baking powder but is quite similar to the yeasted fry breads that we find in the US. Because it is made with baking powder, it is quick and easy.

Copyright 2003-2007, The Prepared Pantry (http://www.prepraredpantry.com ). Published by permission

History and experience of the Inti Raymi festival – Part 3

Well worth the trip is the week-long festival of Peru’s Inti Raymi, located at Cusco’s main square in front of the huge archeological site of Sacsayhuaman with Cusco known as the capital of the Inca Empire. It has more than attracted thousands of spectators and dedicated travelers from nearby and all over the world, so be prepared to be amongst a large crowd. To the Incas who worshiped the beloved Fiesta del Sol in the past, the historical rites of Inti Raymi always played a major part in their lives. For those of us today who also find good reason to celebrate the bountiful seasons and the winter solstice, I have found this to be a beautiful recreation of the historical event held entirely in the Quechua language.

According to the early Peruvians, the winter solstice represented the beginning of a new yearly cycle of rebirth, along with their return to the source of it all by giving tribute to the honorable Sun God Apu Inti Tayta. An animal was always sacrificed to celebrate the new beginning while also paying homage to the Incas, considered the first born Sons of the Sun with many festivities. Fearful the sun would never come back and a future of famine, the celebration was held to plead for the Sun God’s return. For us animal lovers of today, instead of real sacrifices held to appease Apu Inti Tayta, the white llama is part of the sacrifice reenactment of the historical celebration:

“Thousands of actors recreate this epic ceremony, held entirely in the Quechua language. The festivities can be observed from the stones of the Sacsayhuaman in areas that have been set aside for viewing.”

What fascinated me is recognizing that the Inti Raymi Festival is considered the second largest festival in South America, with over 3,000 Peru festivals held annually. With many motives, the majority are held to honor religious celebrations while others focus on the harvests, carnivals and spring seasons. Regardless, I have found the Peruvians to be joyful communities and as long as celebrations are going on throughout the year for one reason or another, the spirits seem to be live and well! Held all week-long with June 24th the centerpiece of the festival, the festival’s main purpose is to ensure the fertility of the earth, combined with light and warmth from the sun to provide a bountiful crop. Dancing, plenty of food, and all kinds of festival activity makes the trip not only a historical adventure but lots of fun.

A region which attracts those of us who are very interested in the area’s historical and cultural significance, Cusco is the hub of tourism for many areas such as the Sacred Valley of the Urubamba River, Pisac, Machu Picchu, Sacsayhuaman, and Ollytantambo. I have found that there were many things to do and see, in addition to the excitement of the week-long celebration of Inti Raymi. Free admittance is provided with rental chairs provided around the main square while reserved seats can be purchased in advance, with positive reviews from its many visitors:

“The Sun was considered by the Incas a divinity, to whom temples were built in his honor in the most important places of the Empire. This celebration is a symbol of the deep bondage between the Sun and his children, the human beings.”