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Cueca virada
Fried pastry strips
Cueca virada: twisted fried pastry strips with cinnamon sugar, from Santa Catarina and Paraná
In the coastal towns of Santa Catarina and the farms of Paraná, families with Azorean and German roots fry these crisp, twisted strips for festas and long winter afternoons with chimarrão or coffee. The cheeky name means turned-inside-out underpants, after the way one end is pulled through a slit in the middle. Rolled thin, they puff into light, crunchy pastries that keep for a few days in a tin. Chef's tip: roll the dough really thin, about 3 mm, so they fry crisp rather than bready.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the dough
- 14 oz plain flour
- 2 eggs
- 2 ⅛ oz sugar
- 1 ⅜ oz buttermelted
- ½ cup milk
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
To fry and coat
- 4 ¼ cups vegetable oil, for deep-frying
- 3 ½ oz sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Mix the 14 oz plain flour, 2 ⅛ oz sugar, 2 tsp baking powder and 1 pinch salt. Add the 2 eggs, 1 ⅜ oz butter and ½ cup milk and knead for 3 minutes until smooth and soft. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.
25 minStep 2: Roll the dough out very thin, about 3 mm; rolling it thick is the common mistake that makes heavy, bready pastries. Cut into 10 × 4 cm rectangles.
10 minStep 3: Cut a 4 cm slit in the centre of each piece, then push one end through the slit and pull it out the other side to make a twist.
10 minStep 4: Heat the 4 ¼ cups vegetable oil, for deep-frying to 350°F and fry 4 or 5 at a time for about 2 minutes a side until puffed and golden.
12 minStep 5: Drain on kitchen paper and toss in the mixed 3 ½ oz sugar and 2 tsp ground cinnamon while warm.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 50 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does cueca virada take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 35 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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