Tequeños are a popular meal or snack in Venezuela. They are basically white cheese sticks wrapped with a crunchy and slightly sweet dough. And as most delicious things, Tequeños are fried.
Back home, they are a very popular snack food, party food, or even breakfast. No gathering or party is complete without a platter of Tequeños. Everyone loves them – and what’s not to love? Fried dough with cheese inside?
Ingredients
- 2 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking power
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) milk
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 block (12 oz / 350 g) semi-hard white cheese for frying
- Vegetable, corn or canola oil for frying
How to Make It
- Prepare the dough. Place the flour, salt, and baking powder into the bowl of a stand mixer with the hook attachment. Mix to combine. Add water, vegetable oil, milk, and brown sugar and mix the dough for 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Press dough into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Form the tequeños. Cut the cheese block into 6 equal pieces, and then cut each piece in half lengthwise; you end up with 12 cheese sticks. Take one strip of dough and cover one of the ends of one cheese stick with dough. Continue to wrap dough around the stick in a spiral fashion, overlapping the edges until you reach the other end. Cover the other end with dough and pinch edges close to seal fully. The cheese has to be completely covered with dough. Repeat with remaining cheese sticks.
- Fry. Add 2-inches of oil to a skillet. Heat oil to 350°F over medium heat. When the oil is hot, cook the tequeños in batches, 2 -3 at a time, turning them until all sides are golden brown. Remove tequeños to a plate lined with paper towels. Let cool for 1 minute, and serve immediately with TRINA Hot Sauce, garlic sauce, or your favorite sauce.
