Venezuelan Cheese Tequeños
Easy recipe for homemade Venezuelan Cheese Tequeños, this tasty Latin appetizer consists of sticks of cheese wrapped in dough and fried until crispy.
Servings 20 to 25 medium tequeños
Ingredients
For the tequeños:
- 3 cups all-purpose wheat flour 3 cups = 375 grams, each cup is 125 grams
- 1 tsp of sugar
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- ½ cup butter 115 grams, softened /room temperature
- 1 egg - optional
- ¼ to ½ cup warm water 60-120 ml adjust as needed
- 250 grams of hard white cheese Queso llanero , 250 grams = 8.8 ounces
- Enough oil for frying
For the guasacaca or Venezuelan avocado sauce:
- 1 cup peeled and diced avocado
- 2 small spicy peppers can replace with a mild green pepper for a non-spicy version
- ¼ cup diced white onion
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 clove garlic
- The juice of a lime or lemon
- 3 tablespoons vinegar adjust to taste
- 3 tablespoons oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- In a wide mixing bowl, mix the flour with sugar and salt. Form the flour mix into a volcano shape, add the soft butter and incorporate little by little with your hands; you will get a texture similar to wet crumbs, continue kneading and add ¼ cup (60 ml) of warm water and the egg, trying to incorporate all the ingredients. If the dough is dry, add additional water, little by little.
- Knead until you obtain a smooth dough, this process can take at least ten minutes; if you feel more comfortable, knead on a flat, clean surface. You will know that the dough is ready when it does not stick to any surface. If it still does not achieve this consistency, you can sprinkle a little more flour and continue kneading until you obtain the desired consistency. Then, place the dough in a large bowl and let it rest for half an hour, covered.
- For an easier version of the dough preparation, you can prepare the dough in a food processor or stand mixer. Add the ingredients in the same order (flour, sugar, and salt), then the butter, then the egg, and finally the water. Pulse and mix until you have a smooth dough and let it rest as mentioned above.
- While the dough rests, you can make the guasacaca avocado sauce. Add all the ingredients to the blender and blend until you obtain a homogeneous mixture. Place the sauce in a container and refrigerate until the tequeños are ready. The recipe for guasacaca is almost personal and to taste. Some people add parsley, more or less oil, garlic, etc. What you should not miss is the lemon or lime juice and the oil, as it prevents the avocado from oxidizing and gives it a fresh taste.
- Prepare a clean surface to roll out the dough, separate it into two equal portions and sprinkle with a little flour. Roll out with a rolling pin until you have a thin sheet of dough, about 4 millimeters thick. Then cut strips of dough lengthwise.
- Cut the cheese into sticks.
- Wrap the cheese sticks with the strips of dough. Make sure the cheese is fully covered by the dough.
- Sprinkle the uncooked tequeños with a little flour.
- Heat the oil in a deep pot or pan and carefully fry them. Remove when the tequeños are golden and place on absorbent paper to remove excess fat.
- Serve the tequeños with the guasacaca sauce.
