Tortillas are a mainstay of Paraguayan comfort food, but don’t be mistaken. They have nothing to do with Mexican-style corn or flour tortillas. Paraguayan tortillas are fritters made with eggs, flour, milk, and cheese. Green onions and leafy greens, such as chard or lettuce, can be added as well. Paraguayans are always up for tucking into a plate of warm, just-fried tortillas. They are eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and as snacks. A classic way of eating them is with soyo, a ground beef and noodle soup that you can find at any comedor (diner). The next time you make a pot of comforting soup, why not try my Aunt Nuni’s recipe and fry up some tortillas as a side dish?
TORTILLAS PARAGUAYAS
Servings: 10 to 12
Ingredients:
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup whole milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup mozzarella or farmer’s cheese, cubed
1 cup leafy greens such as kale, spinach, or chard, chopped
½ cup vegetable oil
Preparation:
Whisk the eggs, milk, flour, and salt in a bowl until smooth. Stir in the cheese and leafy greens. Turn your stove on to medium and heat the oil in a saucepan.
When the surface of the oil begins to shimmer, test it by dropping a tiny bit of batter in the pan. If it sizzles, spoon about ⅓ cup of batter at a time into the pan, leaving about 2 inches between tortillas.
Fry the tortillas for 3 to 4 minutes and then turn over each of them with a metal fork. Continue to cook the tortillas until they are golden brown on both sides.
Remove the tortillas from the oil and allow them to cool on a plate lined with paper towels.