First the Story
If you were asked what country invented the crêpe, most likely your answer would be France. This claim however is disputed as the Galicians have been enjoying filloas for at least as long as the French. Indeed, there are theories that suggest that crêpe-like food has been prepared across Europe since Roman times.
However, we believe that it was thanks to the Camino de Santiago that this tasty treat made its way from Galicia to France, or possibly the other way around. Which ever the case, the Camino de Santiago and its flow of hungry pilgrims appear to have played a major role in spreading the recipe.
Unlike crêpes, filloas are mostly eaten as a dessert and occasionally as a side-dish. In the case of the latter, the filloa is prepared with broth or blood collected from the winter slaughter*. In many regions in Galicia, dessert filloas are also still commonly prepared during carnival, which is called entroido in Galicia (see the blog post for the entroido).
Dessert filloas are always sweet and easy to find at most restaurants in Galicia and easy to prepare at home.
Ingredients
Half a litre of milk (4 cups) or 3 cups of milk and 1 cup of clear broth
3 eggs
200 grams of flour (7 oz)
1 tablespoon of sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon anisette (optional)
Butter, olive oil or unsalted bacon fat
Preparation
MIx all the ingredients well (you can use a blender) and then refrigerate for 30 minutes. Heat a frying pan with a little butter,olive oil or bacon fat. Pour just enough mixture on to the pan so that once spread it forms a thin layer. Tilt the pan to distribute the mixture evenly. Once bubbles appear in the mixture or sides brown, flip it using a spatula or four fingers. Then let the other side cook a bit more until ready.
We then roll and fill the filloa with honey, cream, chocolate syrup or sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Enjoy and Buen Camino!
* Back in the day, families would slaughter a pig in winter for the following year and every part of the animal was used.
