Lennox Hastie’s deliciously golden bready treat
Thick slices of old bread, often rustic and rigid, are soaked in a mixture of milk and cream infused with sherry, cinnamon and citrus, then dipped in egg and fried to golden perfection.
The great thing about stale bread it that it can be paired with just about anything, embracing sweet as well savoury flavours. Torrijas is a Spanish version of the French Pain Perdu (which means “lost bread”), but it possesses a unique character all its own.
Thick slices of old bread, often rustic and rigid, are soaked in a mixture of milk and cream infused with sherry, cinnamon and citrus, then dipped in egg and fried to golden perfection.
If you like this, try:
- Emiko Davies’ pinza di pane
- Lennox Hastie’s authentic churros and chocolate
- A Spanish dessert to rival the creme caramel
It’s a dish that celebrates the frugality of using up leftover bread and turning it into something utterly delicious. And if you like this, try my Panzanella (otherwise called Tuscan bread salad).
Torrijas
Ingredients
- 200ml cream
- 200ml milk
- 100g sugar
- 15ml dry sherry
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- ½ vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped
- Zest ½ lemon
- Zest ½ orange
- Pinch salt
- 300-400g stale bread, thickly sliced
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 eggs
- 150ml olive oil, for frying
Method
- In a small pan combine the cream, milk, sugar, sherry, cinnamon, vanilla, citrus zest and salt. On a medium heat bring up to a simmer, stirring until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is infused with the flavour of citrus and vanilla. Pass through a sieve and, while still warm, add the stale bread slices to soak in the mixture for at least 10 minutes, ensuring they are well-coated.
- In a small bowl, beat the eggs and the egg yolks together. Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, dip the soaked bread slices in the egg mixture and, after letting excess egg drip off carefully add to the pan. Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side until it turns golden and crispy. Remove the torrijas from the pan and drain on paper towels. Serve warm with a little crème fraiche or your favourite ice-cream. Serves 3-4