Description
Easy Venezuelan Tequeños are delicious crispy cheese sticks wrapped in a thin dough and fried to golden perfection. Served best with a spicy pink sauce, these bite-sized snacks are perfect for gatherings or as a tasty appetizer. This recipe guides you through making the dough from scratch, shaping the tequeños around semi-hard white cheese, frying them to crispiness, and preparing a flavorful dipping sauce.
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 2 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) milk
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
For the Cheese Filling
- 1 block (12 oz / 350 g) semi-hard white cheese for frying (e.g., Tropical queso de freir)
For Frying
- Vegetable oil, corn oil, or canola oil (about 2 inches for frying)
For the Spicy Pink Sauce
- 1 cup mayonnaise (eggless mayo can be used)
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
Instructions
- Make the Tequeño Dough: Place the flour, salt, and baking powder into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment and mix to combine evenly. Add the water, vegetable oil, milk, and brown sugar, then mix the dough on medium speed for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth and pulling away from the bowl.
- Rest the Dough: Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Shape it into a disc, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to relax.
- Knead the Dough: After chilling, unwrap and place the dough back on a floured surface. Knead for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth and elastic. Add small amounts of flour if the dough is sticky.
- Roll and Cut Dough: Roll the dough into a 12 by 15-inch rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. Using a knife or pizza cutter, slice it lengthwise into twelve 1-inch wide strips.
- Prepare Cheese Sticks: Cut the block of cheese into 6 equal pieces, then cut each piece in half lengthwise, creating 12 matchstick-sized cheese sticks.
- Assemble Tequeños: Take one dough strip and wrap one end of a cheese stick, spiraling the dough around it with overlapping edges until fully covered. Pinch the ends tightly to seal the cheese completely inside. Repeat for all cheese sticks.
- Heat Oil for Frying: Pour about 2 inches of oil into a skillet and heat to 350°F over medium heat, ensuring the oil is properly hot for frying.
- Fry the Tequeños: Fry the wrapped cheese sticks in batches of 2 to 3, turning them until all sides are evenly golden brown. Remove and place on paper towels to drain excess oil. Let cool slightly before serving.
- Prepare Spicy Pink Sauce: Whisk together mayonnaise, ketchup, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and cayenne pepper until smooth and creamy. Adjust cayenne for desired heat. This sauce can be refrigerated for up to two weeks.
- Serve: Serve the hot tequeños immediately with the spicy pink sauce or other dipping sauces like guasacasa, cilantro mojo, or garlic sauce.
Notes
- The cheese used should be a semi-hard white cheese suitable for frying, such as Tropical queso de freir.
- You can adjust the size of the tequeños by cutting the cheese and dough strips accordingly.
- Maintain the oil temperature at around 350°F to ensure the tequeños cook evenly and absorb less oil.
- For a vegetarian version, confirm the Worcestershire sauce is vegetarian-friendly or substitute accordingly.
- The spicy pink sauce can be refrigerated for up to two weeks, making it convenient to prepare ahead.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Venezuelan
