Baleada

Ingredients

Tortillas de harina

• 500 gplain flour
• 1 tspfine salt
• 1 tspbaking powder
• 80 gvegetable shortening or 80 ml sunflower oil
• 300 mlwarm water

Frijoles refritos

• 400 gcooked red silk beans (frijoles rojos de seda) with 150 ml of their liquid
• 3 tbspsunflower oil
• 1small onion, finely chopped
• 2garlic cloves, crushed
• ½ tspground cumin
• salt

To fill

• 150 mlmantequilla crema (Honduran soured cream) or thick crema
• 150 gqueso duro or queso seco, finely grated
• 1avocado, sliced (optional)

Directions

1. Rub the flour, salt, baking powder and shortening together until sandy, then add the warm water and knead 8–10 minutes to a soft, smooth, slightly tacky dough.
2. Divide into 8 balls, oil them lightly, cover and rest 30 minutes. Rested dough rolls thin without springing back.
3. Fry the onion and garlic in the oil over medium heat until translucent, 5 minutes, add the beans with their liquid and the cumin, and mash with a wooden spoon or potato masher.
4. Keep cooking and stirring 8–10 minutes until the beans are a dark, glossy, spreadable paste that pulls away from the pan. Season with salt.
5. Roll each ball to a 20 cm round about 3 mm thick, noticeably thicker than a Mexican flour tortilla.
6. Cook on a dry comal or heavy pan over medium-high heat for 45–60 seconds a side, until pale brown blisters appear and the tortilla puffs. It should stay soft and foldable, never crisp.
7. Spread the hot tortilla with beans over half its surface, spoon over crema, scatter the grated cheese and add avocado if using.
8. Fold in half like a taco, press gently and eat immediately, while the tortilla is still warm and pliable.

Technique

• A baleada lives or dies by the tortilla. It must be thick, soft and elastic; if it cracks when folded, the dough was too dry or too little rested.
• Honduran mantequilla crema is soured and salty rather than sweet, closer to creme fraiche thinned with a little buttermilk than to sour cream.
• Assemble on the hot tortilla so the cheese softens against the beans. A cold tortilla makes the whole thing stiff.

Substitutions

• No red silk beans: small red beans or kidney beans give the right colour and texture. Black beans are used in some regions but change the flavour.
• Queso duro can be replaced by dry salty cotija or a mild feta, crumbled fine.

Variations

• Baleada sencilla is the original street version: beans, crema and cheese only.
• Baleada especial or mixta adds scrambled egg and avocado, and on the north coast, fried plantain.

History

A wheat flour tortilla folded over refried beans and cream; it grew up on the north coast, where banana-company trade made wheat flour cheap.

Frequently asked questions

What is Baleada?

Baleada is a street food from Honduras: thick flour tortilla folded over beans, cheese, and crema. A wheat flour tortilla folded over refried beans and cream; it grew up on the north coast, where banana-company trade made wheat flour cheap.

How long does Baleada take to make?

Baleada takes 35 min of preparation and 30 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 servings (8 baleadas). It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Baleada?

Yes, within limits. No red silk beans: small red beans or kidney beans give the right colour and texture. Black beans are used in some regions but change the flavour. Queso duro can be replaced by dry salty cotija or a mild feta, crumbled fine.

What is the most important thing to get right in Baleada?

Cook on a dry comal or heavy pan over medium-high heat for 45–60 seconds a side, until pale brown blisters appear and the tortilla puffs. It should stay soft and foldable, never crisp.