Borrachuelos

When December finally comes round, I always receive a call from my mother-in-law asking me to rally the troops. Christmas is approaching and we have to make borrachuelos, a truly symbolic dish for the Vazquez family from San Roque. The preparation takes time and so the best way to go about things is to get together on a Saturday or Sunday and spend all weekend on them if necessary. It is not simply a case of cooking. It is an excuse for the family to share something more than just a meal at Christmas.

The name borrachuelos comes from the Spanish borracho, meaning drunk, in reference to the alcohol in the recipe. On the same note, is also part of the tradition to drink aniseed liqueur, which is also one of the ingredients, before preparing them. As a result, the different shaped borrachuelos that finally end up on the table showcase both our creative originality and our drunken clumsiness. They are fun to make and even better to eat.

1. Add a glass of oil to a frying pan and heat aniseed liqueur, the clove and orange peel together carefully on a low flame so that they don’t burn. The aim is to infuse the oil with these flavours.

2. When this is ready, drain the oil and let it cool.

3. Add the aromatized oil , a glass of warm white wine, the rind of two lemons, a glass and a half of orange juice, three quarters of a glass of eau-de-vie, a teaspoon of cinnamon, a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda and one and a half sachets of yeast to a bowl. Stir well.

4. Add the flour little by little and stir continuously. The amount of flour will depend on how much the mixture can take but it will usually be around one and a half kilos. The dough will eventually become so dense that you will have to knead it with your hands.

5. Leave the dough to rest for at least 30 minutes with a damp cloth on top.

6. Using a rolling pin, extend the mixture over a surface that has been sprinkled with flour. The dough should be rolled out until it is very thin. Cut it into small triangles. Take the end of one side and join it to the end of the other side and press together.

7. Repeat this process until all the dough has been used up.

8. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry carefully. Place on a sheet of kitchen roll to absorb excess oil.

9. Heat some honey reduced with water in a pan on a low heat. When this is very hot, dip the borrachuelos in the honey. Leave them to cool and then serve.