Have you ever tried Quesada pasiega? It is a typical traditional dessert from Cantabria. We discover how to easily prepare it at home with this popular and classic recipe.
Los Valles Pasiegos is a beautiful region of Cantabria (Spain) bordered to the north by the Bay of Santander region, to the east by the Asón-Agüera region and to the west by the Besaya region.
It is a wonderful valley, where we find the Valle del Myra (which impresses with its spectacular landscape), the Valle del Pas (cradle of the first Pasiego settlements in the region) and the Valle del Pisueña (where we find the Parque of the Nature of Cabárceno).
It is in this beautiful place where we find the Quesada pasiega, a typical dessert from the Valles Pasiegos, which was made in the past especially in the towns of Vega de Pas, Selaya and Alceda-Ontaneda. However, today it has become one of the most representative desserts in Cantabria.
What is Quesada pasiega, what is it like and how is it made?
Basically it is a kind of cake that is made up of curdled cow’s milk, accompanied by wheat flour and butter, eggs and sugar. These ingredients are then flavored with grated lemon. It becomes a Tarija pasiega if you add cinnamon powder.
Its preparation, as we will see throughout this note, is very simple since you only have to mix all the ingredients, knead them and place them in cake moulds. It is then baked in the oven until its surface turns golden brown.
Its peculiarity: in addition to being delicious, it can be served both hot and cold.
Traditional pasiega Quesada recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 liters of fresh milk
- rennet powder
- 4 eggs
- 100 grams of melted butter
- 250 grams of sugar
- 100 grams of wheat flour
- 1/2 grated lemon peel
Preparation of the pasiega Quesada:
The preparation is actually extremely simple. The steps to follow are the ones indicated below.
First put the butter out of the fridge, so it melts at room temperature.
Put the milk in a large saucepan and when it comes to a boil, remove it from the heat, waiting until it reaches 55 degrees. Then add the rennet and stir until you see that the milk begins to separate from the whey. Carefully strain it through cheesecloth and let it sit for 2 hours. Booking.
Now proceed to preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs together with the sugar. Add the melted butter and integrate well with the rest of the ingredients. Zest the lemon and add the zest to the previous mixture.
Add the curd and crumble it little by little with the help of your fingers until you get a paste.
Sift the flour and add it to the previous mixture, little by little. Finally pour into a tart pan and bake at 180 degrees for approximately 30 minutes.
How to taste it:
As we indicated before, the Quesada pasiega can be eaten hot or cold. There are those who consume it accompanied by a little honey, and there are those who even add ice cream to it (especially when served hot).
Be that as it may, it is undoubtedly a typical and traditional delicious dessert, as well as wonderful, with a unique and almost exclusive texture. Enjoy!
