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Taloa
Maize flatbread with ham and cheese
Taloa: Basque griddled maize flatbread with cured ham and cheese, as at the Fêtes de Bayonne
FrenchDuring the Fêtes de Bayonne in July, when the whole town dresses in white with red scarves, stalls in the Pays Basque sell taloa: thick flatbreads of maize and wheat flour cooked on a hot griddle and folded around fillings. The classic is with jambon de Bayonne (a cured pork ham), with sheep's cheese or with ventrèche (cured pork belly), and it's eaten hot in the street. Cheese alone makes a good vegetarian version. Chef's tip: cook the taloa on a dry, very hot pan; it should blister and puff in patches like a tortilla.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the dough
- 3 ½ oz plain flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup hot water
For the filling
- 4 oz ossau-iraty or other sheep's cheesethinly sliced
- ½ tsp piment d'Espelette or mild chilli flakes (optional)
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Mix the 5 ½ oz fine maize flour (not cornflour), 3 ½ oz plain flour and ½ tsp salt, pour in the ¾ cup hot water and stir, then knead for 2–3 minutes into a soft, smooth dough that doesn't stick. Rest 10 minutes.
5 minStep 2: Divide into 4 and press or roll each between sheets of baking paper into a round 18 cm across and 4 mm thick. A common mistake is rolling it too thin, which makes it crack instead of folding.
5 minStep 3: Heat a large dry frying pan over a high heat. Cook each taloa for 1½ minutes a side until it blisters with brown spots and puffs a little. While the second side cooks, lay 4 oz ossau-iraty or other sheep's cheese and 8 slices jambon de Bayonne or other cured pork ham on half so the cheese starts to melt.
12 minStep 4: Sprinkle with ½ tsp piment d'Espelette or mild chilli flakes if using, fold in half and serve straight away, wrapped in paper.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 450 kcal
- Protein
- 20 g
- Carbs
- 50 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does taloa take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
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