Bolivian fried bread, tawa-tawas, dripping honey, dusted with sugar
Doesn’t every culture have some sort of fried bread favorite?
Where would New Orleans be without its beignets? Or Mexico its sopapillas? Or Boston its donuts?
In Bolivia, a country high in the Andes mountains of South American where our food appreciation classes are currently visiting on a virtual world food tour, they call their fried bread confection tawa-tawas. The origin of the name may be unclear. It sounds almost Japanese. But the ingredients are easily reconizable: a little flour, some egg, a rising agent and–pouf. In hot oil the dough swells into light confections filled with air. Drizzle them with honey and sprinkle with powdered sugar for a perfectly simple snack or dessert.
Kids love the process of mixing together baking ingredients, kneading dough, rolling dough with the rolling pin. It’s a good lesson in basic kitchen measurements, baking chemistry and tool use. But watch your bench flour–the kids will soon be flinging it in every direction if you turn your back.
As we discovered, a little flour goes a long way when making tawa-tawas. You can treat your whole neighborhood with this recipe. We had enough to feed almost the entire school–and that’s only a slight exaggeration. Once the kids on the playground heard what we were doing, we had a line of contenders for our platter of honey-drizzled, sugar-dusted treats. The good news is, tawa-tawas will keep another day, covered and then re-heated in the oven.
Because of the sweetness factor, and the prominence of refined flour, we consider this a rare treat rather than something to be served on a regular basis.
Mix flour with baking powder, salt, egg and water
Knead dough
Roll out into thin sheet
Use a pizza wheel for cutting dough
Fry in hot oil
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Summary: Traditional fried bread pastries
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon softened butter
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup water
- canola oil for frying
- honey
- confectioner’s sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add softened butter and mix well with a spatula.
- Add eggs and a drizzle of water. Mix. Continue mixing, adding water, and mixing until everything is incorporated.
- Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until dough is smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Cover dough with a tea towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
- When dough has rested, roll it out on a floured surface until fairly thin, about one-tenth inch.
- Using the tip of a sharp pairing knife, or a pizza wheel, cut the dough into rhombus-shaped pieces (like a stretched-out square). Cover and allow dough to rest about 5 minutes.
- Meawhile, heat oil in a deep fryer, or no more than half-way up the side of a heavy skillet.
- Fry pieces of dough five or six at a time. They will puff up and turn golden. Turn them to cook both sides.
- Drain fried pastries on paper towels.
- To serve, display tawa-tawas on a ceramic plate. Drizzle with honey, then dust with confectioner’s suagar.
CulinaryTradition: Central American
My rating: stars
We are engaging the concerns of a hungry planet--slowly--right here in our kitchen garden in the District of Columbia, about a mile from the White House.
these look DELICIOUS!
thank god for FBF’s!
Just made them. The dough was hard to roll out but It worked out in the end. I hope they taste well.
Tawa-tawas are amazing. Thanks for the recipe! Also, the name comes from Quechua. “Tawa” is “four” in Quechua and traditionally it’s cut four times
dammmm
yo entiendo mas no hablo ingles, mas me encantó tu receta – gracias
Hi. My mother is bolivian and she has a slight different version of the tawa-tawas recipe.
they are yummy and always remind me of my childhood and my mom.
I am glad that you also like them.
Saludos!
Valeria.
very tasty
) Great recipe