torta de aceite
I picked up a package of 6 of these individually wrapped crisp breads at the wine store tonight, withought really reading the label. They looked like they would be good for cheese. Then, I opened one up and read the label -- they are not at all good for cheese, and they are an unbelievably delicious crisp bread, made with flour and anise and sesame seed, and sprinkled with sugar. The anise flavor is just strong enough, the sugar is crunchy and partially carmelized -- the whole thing goes way beyond sweet and salty into some perfect flavor combination. So now I'm hooked. I've found an on-line source: http://casaoliver.com/item.asp?PID=99 and have learned that they are a traditional Spanish crispbread Has anyone else discovered these little cracker miracles?
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mitzihaz
May 14, 2007 02:18 PM
YES! I had the same exact experience. They are absolutely addictive! I found a recipe in Time-Life's "Foods of the World" series on Spain and Portugal. I haven't tried it yet but it looks like it would result in the same lovely cracker.
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re: mitzihaz
Has anyone tried substituting canola oil or grapeseed oil for the olive oil in the recipe for Torta de Aciete? There is considerable confusion between English and Spanish on the translation of "torta". Dictionaries usually just say "torta" is "cake" or vice versa, Depending on the locality, the translation could be more towards "cracker".
Everybody knows the Mexican Tortilla or literally "little cake". but it is what we would call an unlevened bread or cracker, when fried or sharply dried. In Chile a Tortilla is an omelette!
Thanks
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re: knick
Tortilla is an omelette here in Spain, too. Tortillitas de camarones are the same size and configuration as tortas de aceite, except they are savory, made from chick pea flower and deep fried with shrimp embedded into them. Torta usually refers to a round, flat food item--not a cake (which is tarta in Spain).
I can't imagine replacing the olive oil with anything else--that's what make them so good.
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Mary Lois Adshead
Mar 18, 2007 08:11 AM
There is a cryptic translation of a Spanish recipe by this name on the 'Net, but it appears to be for a cake rather than a cracker. The crackers have become available in my area so I think I'll stick to the Rosales ones...but I would say it would be pretty easy to improvise using a pie crust or cracker recipe, using olive oil as the shortening and just a sprinkling of anise seed and sugar across the top. It'll be a challenge to try this out! I just eat these out of the box and have turned several friends onto them. I thought they'd be perfect to eat with Manchego cheese and Spanish bubbly, but so far I can't keep them around long enough to try.
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Debbie M
Sep 18, 2006 11:33 PM
I love them plain, warmed in the toaster (which you have to watch like a hawk, because "warmed" is separated from "burnt and setting off smoke alarm" by mere seconds).
I work by an O&Co., so I can pick them up fairly regularly, but you can also order on-line:
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Dommy
Sep 5, 2006 06:14 PM
I love them too! :) In Mexico they are often made with lard so they get an extra porky edge to them! :)
And they are actually good ALONG with cheese, just not spreaded WITH cheese. I love them after eating a chunk of strong waxy cheese to help uncoat my mouth! :)
--Dommy!
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Oh yes, these are an afternoon snack (merienda) staple in our house. They come from Andalucía. This the brand that I like:
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re: wally
tatamagouche
Nov 10, 2008 11:46 AM
I see this is an old thread; I've been eating these for years too, but didn't until a few months ago realize there was a sweet version. Far prefer the savory myself.
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