Buñuelo

A buñuelo (Spanish:

Buñuelos are first known to have been consumed among Spain's Morisco population. They typically consist of a simple, wheat-based yeast dough, often flavored with anise, that is thinly rolled, cut or shaped into individual pieces, then fried and finished off with a sweet topping. Buñuelos may be filled with a variety of things, sweet or savory. They can be round in ball shapes or disc-shaped. In Latin America, buñuelos are seen as a symbol of good luck.^[3]

Etymology

"Buñuelo" and all other variations of the word in

The beignet, which is a French cuisine dough fritter similar to the buñuelo, is etymologically cognate and derives its name via the Germanic Frankish language. Beignet has been borrowed into English via French.

Other cognates include Old High German bungo ("swelling, tuber"), German bunge, Dutch bonk ("lump, clump"), Gaulish *bunia, Scottish Gaelic bonnach ("cake, biscuit").

History

Dough fritters are known in

Regional adaptations

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• In Spain, buñuelos are a dessert and snack typical in many autonomous communities and, especially, during their regional holidays. Each territory incorporates its own ingredients and its own tradition. One of the best known is the buñuelo de viento ('wind buñuelo'), a species of fritter.
  • In
    churros, which are increasingly widespread at parties normally associated with buñuelos. On the other hand, in Catalonia, churros are primarily consumed by tourists; Catalans prefer the xuixos
    or chuchos in churrerías or the buñuelos in their multiple forms in bakeries or in houses.
  • In
    Fallas de Valencia
    , where pumpkin buñuelos are made.
  • In the Balearic Islands, there are sweet fritters for different parties of the year (Las Vírgenes, Todos los Santos, Lent, etc.) and, depending on the occasion, they can contain potato or sweet potato, Mahón cheese, dried figs, etc.^[7]
  • In Madrid and Andalusia, they are consumed with special assiduity during the Festival of Saints, during which it was customary for women to prepare them in the houses and sell them or give them to neighbors, especially in the villages.
• In
  Christmas dish, served along with natillas and manjar blanco
  .
• In Cuba they are traditionally twisted in a figure 8 and covered in an anise caramel. The dough contains cassava and malanga.
• In the Dominican Republic, buñuelos are rolled into balls from a dough made of cassava (called yuca) and eggs. They are then covered in a cinnamon sugar syrup, often using coconut milk instead of water.
• In Nicaragua, buñuelos are made from cassava, eggs, and white grating cheese. The buñuelos are rolled into balls and deep fried. They are served alongside a syrup made of sugar, water, cinnamon sticks, and cloves. They are eaten year-round, and are a typical side dish or snack served during holidays.
• In the
  maruya, a Filipino banana fritter.^[12][13][14]
• In Puerto Rico, buñuelos are small and round. The dough is often made with milk, baking powder, sugar, eggs, and a starch. Apio, cornmeal, cassava, chickpeas, almond flour, rice, squash, sweet potatoes, taro, potatoes, yams, ripe breadfruit, and sweet plantains are some of the starches used. There are more than twenty buñuelos recipes in Puerto Rico. Often rolled in cornstarch before frying or fried just as. Recipes have been written in Puerto Rican cuisine scenes of the 19th century. They are often filled with cheese and ham for breakfast. They are popular around Christmas served in anis flavored syrup. Lemon peel, rum, guava, cinnamon, and vanilla can also be added to the syrup.
• In
  piloncillo) and are sold in fairs, carnivals, and Christmas events such as Las Posadas
  .
• In Peru, buñuelos resemble picarones in shape (round and ring shaped) but lack yam or squashes as in picarones. Made of flour, water, sugar, anise, and yeast, they are served with a sweet syrup made of chancaca (sugar cane derived sweet). They are a common street food native to Arequipa.
• In Italy, they are usually served with cream, and popular during Carnival time, in particular in the North-East of the country.
• In Uruguay sweet buñuelos are made with apples and bananas and covered in sugar. Salty variations are traditionally made of spinach, cow fat and seaweed. Seaweed buñuelos are considered a delicacy in Rocha Department.
• In Sephardic Jewish cuisine, bimuelos (also bumuelos or binuelos) are traditionally made from yeasted wheat dough and covered in a honey glaze, sometimes with orange flavour.^[15][16] Sephardic Jews in Turkey traditionally make buñuelos with matzo meal and eat them during Passover.^[17]

There are also buñuelos in Turkey, India, and Russia.

In many Latin American countries, this particular dish can also be made with flour tortillas, and covered in sugar or cinnamon.

In popular culture

December 16th is National Buñuelo day (Día Nacional del Buñuelo). Buñuelo was featured on the

• List of fried dough foods
• List of doughnut varieties
• Hojuela
• Mexican breads

References