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Tapas recipe at home. Tapas is a traditional Spanish appetizer

Tapas are a variety of hot and cold snacks. But for the Spaniards, it's not just food, it's a lifestyle. In Spanish, there is even a verb tapear - it translates as "going to bars, chatting with friends and acquaintances, drinking wine and eating tapas."
Nobody knows exactly when and how this tradition originated, but there are several versions. According to one of them, the king of Castile and León Alfonso X the Wise (1221-1284) issued a law according to which innkeepers were ordered to serve strong drinks only accompanied by snacks: visitors who were drunk on an empty stomach lost their decent appearance and posed a certain threat to themselves and those around them. ... Dishes with such snacks were brought directly on top of mugs of beer or wine. Hence the name: tapas in Spanish means "lids". Until recently, tapas were served free of charge in Spanish bars, but now more and more often they have to be ordered separately.
Any cuts will act as tapas, the classic version is jamon or chorizo, pickled or grilled vegetables, fried or pickled mushrooms, potato or rice balls, fried squid or mussels. And, of course, an endless string of tartlets and mini-sandwiches with sauces, pâtés, tuna and egg, grated pepper and tomato with onions and garlic, grated cheeses with mayonnaise, fried eggs on a large round piece of tomato, sardines and anchovies with celery and lettuce , pieces of chicken or meat in wine sauce, all kinds of salads, seafood in various sauces, small potatoes in aromatic herbs.
I offer you two snacks: Coca - traditional caramelized crispbreads, and Empanadillas - fried cakes. The basis of these snacks is the same - the dough.


Preparation:
By and large, you can use any dough: puff, "filo", yeast, with the addition of pork fat ...
I suggest a wine dough with olive oil.
Mix the sifted flour with baking powder and salt. Add wine and olive oil gradually.
Knead the dough quickly and set aside for an hour.

In the meantime, prepare butter for Coca - mix chopped garlic, parsley and paprika with olive oil. Let it brew for 30 minutes.

For the filling of the empanadillas, finely chop the onion and garlic. Saute in olive oil until transparent.

Add diced pepper and tomato. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Add tuna and diced egg. Stir, add parsley. Remove from heat, cool.

The dough was infused, became soft and elastic.
Roll out the dough 6-7 mm thick. Cut out the circles, brush them with olive oil.
Lay them out on a sheet of parchment.

Cut the tomatoes into slices at least 5mm thick and cover the dough with them. Sprinkle with salt and sugar.
Brush with spicy oil.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180 * C for 30 minutes.

Cool the ready-made coca and arrange it to your liking. Fillers - anchovies, cheese, sausage, eggs, tuna ...

Coca comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. The Spaniards call these pies the sister of pizza ...

For empanadillas, roll out the dough into a layer, cut out circles 10-12 cm in diameter.
Put a spoonful of the filling in the center, mold the edges and press them with a fork.
Fry the empanadillas in hot vegetable oil (this is how they differ from the empanadas that are baked).

These pies are both warm and hot.

The dough resembles puff - crumbly and tasty.

Help yourself!
Buen provecho!

Before the arrival of guests, any hostess thinks what can be served for an appetizer, before the main meal for a glass of wine? Tapas is the perfect solution! Probably, many people hear this word, but perhaps not everyone knows what it is.

On the one hand, the word "Tapas" is understood as a way of serving small pieces of baguette, vegetables, meat or seafood with a filling, and on the other hand, the same combination of filling and bread is called tapas.

The tradition of serving small cold snacks before meals, which include meat, vegetables, fish, and so on, came to us from Spain. Now these snacks are popular not only in Spain, but also in the countries of the Balkan Peninsula and in countries located on the Mediterranean coast.

Typically, tapas are served on small plates, but the variety of toppings can truly surprise any gourmet. Each national cuisine, undoubtedly, has its own traditions of table setting and combinations of various ingredients, but you can still highlight the basic principles of composing tapas fillings. For example, mushrooms are stuffed with meat, cheese and herbs. Seafood is usually served with pies or grilled or pickled vegetables. Well, and of course, such a snack is served with bread, which is baked in each country according to its own technology.

In the modern world, there is often a mixture of different cuisines from different countries, and this affects tapas too. Asian cuisine has recently become popular in Europe, so you can find elements of Japanese sushi in tapas.

Tapas in Spain

In Spain, tapas is considered to be more than a simple food, tapas is a part of Spanish culture. The word itself comes from the Spanish word "cover" or "cover". One of the opinions is that initially tapas consisted of cuts of meat, vegetables and bread, which was covered with a glass of wine so that insects did not get there. According to another version, the king of Castile and Leon, Alfonso X the Wise, introduced a law according to which it was impossible to serve alcoholic drinks without snacks in refectories and taverns, so that visitors would not drink on an empty stomach and behave appropriately.

In Spain, there is a whole tradition of how to eat tapas: it is customary to eat it standing up, with wine or sangria, in a large company and in casual conversation during a siesta. There is even a so-called "tapas marathon" - tapes: after 09 pm the Spaniards gather in companies and wander from bar to bar, in each of which they eat a few tapas, washed down with wine and make new, pleasant acquaintances.

In Spain, making tapas is a whole art. There are even special contests where the ability to prepare them, the variety of fillings and the way they are served are assessed. The main venue is the city of Valladoline.

Below we provide a list of tapas toppings that you can find in any small cafe in Spain, and of course, repeat yourself:

  • serano ham
  • olives and cheese (manchego)
  • meatballs (albondigas)
  • pickled or deep-fried anchovies
  • chorizo ​​sausage
  • salted cod (bakalau)
  • fried squid rings (squid)
  • crispy salted potatoes (papas arrugadas)
  • Sun-dried tomatoes
  • garlic sauce (alioli) with bread and potatoes
  • omelette

Each country has its own preferences for what to make tapas.

In Portugal, tapas are even called in another way - "petiskos". They can include deep-fried fish, meatballs, octopus salad, olives and the national dish of Portugal - salted dried cod - "bacalau". It's hard to resist such a variety and not try.

In Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey, these snacks are called ouzo, raki or meze. They are prepared from vegetables, fish and seafood. Well, in every region, of course, you can find something typical or unusual. For example, the famous tzatziki - grape leaves stuffed with a mixture of rice, yogurt, cucumber and garlic. Or a seafood salad with baked vegetables and sheep's cheese.

Tapas in Italy

In Italy, tapas are referred to as antipasti. Here are the popular fillings in this country:

  • Parma ham
  • Mozzarella
  • grilled bread with a slice of tomato and a couple of drops of olive oil (bruschetta)
  • very thin slices of beef with parmesan, olive oil and balsamic sauce (carpaccio)
  • grilled or deep-fried vegetables (eggplant, bell peppers, zucchini)
  • veal with tuna sauce (vitello tonato)
  • pickled sardines
  • baked shellfish

In Italy, small snacks (called antipasti) are usually served in a transparent glass container. This way of serving dishes is very convenient, because guests can immediately see what is lying and where.

Despite. that the tradition of making tapas is different in each country, but in any case it is a very tasty, unusual and quick snack. You can turn on all your imagination, use all the ingredients in the refrigerator - and the result will be amazing anyway. You will be able to surprise and feed all the guests. By the way, tapas can be prepared as a meal for a buffet table, picnic, or taken to work.

Kitchens. In fact, this is an appetizer that is prepared from a wide variety of ingredients. Moreover, it is customary to call any food that is suitable for a small buffet table or friendly gatherings. So, we bring to your attention several options for cooking such a dish as tapas (recipes with photos in abundance can be found on the pages of electronic culinary magazines). By offering your friends such an original dish as an appetizer - cold or hot - you will certainly earn sincere praise and gratitude from others. Said Spanish tapas are made with different ingredients so that everyone can choose what they like!

Cooking tapas: option number 1

Required Ingredients:

  • 2 cloves of garlic;
  • 5-6 dry sherry;
  • 0.5 kg of champignons;
  • freshly squeezed lemon juice;
  • 3 dessert spoons of pine nuts;
  • 6-7 teaspoons of olive oil
  • 4-5 sprigs of herbs (parsley, for example);
  • pepper, spices and salt to taste.

Cooking process

Wash the mushrooms thoroughly and cut them into large pieces. Then we wash the greens and tear off the leaves from it. You also need to peel and chop the garlic finely. Fry the garlic in a preheated pan with olive oil for about 3 minutes. Then add nuts with chopped mushrooms to it and fill the mixture with sherry. You need to cook this dish until the liquid evaporates. Then add salt, spices, lemon juice and pepper to your liking. It is best to spread the appetizer on pre-fried toast, decorating with green leaves. This tapas is a great option.

Ingredients for the second tapas variation:

  • 9-11 small dried chili peppers
  • 500 grams of peanuts;
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic;
  • 2 dessert spoons of olive oil;
  • a spoonful of salt.

Cooking process

Put the chili peppers in the mortar and crush them. Then peel the garlic and chop finely. It is best to use a garlic. Then put the crushed peppers in a pan, add garlic, fry in olive oil for about two minutes. After that, peanuts are added to the products and fried until golden brown. Then, after frying, this mixture is laid out on plates and sprinkled with salt. This tapas is a great option with beer.

Tapas is that easy! Recipe number 3

Required Ingredients:

  • 250-300 grams of sheep cheese;
  • 0.5 kilograms of ham;
  • 3 hard-boiled eggs;
  • 50-70 grams of walnuts.

Cooking process

Grate on a coarse grater, finely chop the nuts, and chop the boiled eggs. Then stir the resulting mixture. Then take the ham and cut into thin slices. Spread each piece with the resulting mixture. Roll up into a mini roll and pierce with a skewer. This tapas is a great option for any buffet table!

It should be noted that there are a lot of options for traditional Spanish snacks. You can use almost any food you will find in your refrigerator. Place a variety of snacks on each plate, add matching drinks and have a sunny country party. Because all Spanish cuisine, directly or indirectly related to appetizers, can be called tapas. And this name, in turn, symbolizes Spain.

Spanish tapas is ideal for any alcohol, but above all, it was created for wine. There are several versions: one says that a quick servant in a tavern covered the king's glass with such a snack from dust when the wind rose, in another - the king himself ordered a snack to be served with wine so that the soldiers would not get so drunk, and cunning entrepreneurs reduced it to a minimum size , because the money was not paid for it!

In general, I adhere to the first version, since the word "tapas" is translated from Spanish as "cover". It is also ideal that tapas can be made with any filling (not only nuts, sun-dried tomatoes, chorizo ​​sausage and other Spanish products). Bachelors will especially like this dish - you open the refrigerator and dump everything that is on the table out of it, making mini-sandwiches. Use a baguette or brown bread as a base. There are hot tapas and cold tapas, I'll show you how to create exactly cold ones - it takes a minimum of time!

So, get the ingredients you need ready and start cooking!

Cut the baguette into small slices.

Brush the first few slices of baguette with melted cheese and put sun-dried tomatoes on them, garnish with pieces of lettuce.

Put slices of slightly salted red fish, not necessarily salmon, on a few more slices. Decorate with fresh herbs.

Cut the washed watermelon radish into slices, cut them into triangles. Brush slices of bread with melted cheese, sprinkle slices of radish on top of them, garnish with grain mustard and herbs - these tapas are for bitter taste lovers!

Cut the Chorizo ​​sausage into slices and place on a baguette with the herbs.

Place a slice of lightly salted herring, chop hard cheese and peeled, washed red onions. Place them on top of the herring and garnish with fresh thyme. Ahead of some comments that there was no herring in Spain, I would like to emphasize that in our age of air delivery, you can even buy a shark in the supermarket!)))

Brush the remaining baguette slices with melted cheese, sprinkle with pumpkin seeds, which can be substituted for peanuts, hazelnuts, or other nuts.

Place all cooked tapas on a platter, tray and serve, decorating to your liking. Such a varied table with Spanish tapas is ideal for a party or a circle of friends, neighbors!

Enjoy it!


Spanish cuisine is distinguished by sonorous short names and a taste that cannot be confused with any other. The Spaniards themselves are proud of the quality and variety of products that are generously shared by the fertile lands of this sunny country. Those who come to Spain for the first time are unlikely to refuse the famous gazpacho soup or gourmet special smoked ham - ham. And you can't miss the numerous bars and eateries, where tapas, a signature snack, is served along with wine or beer.

According to legend, tapas originated in the 13th century thanks to the decree of Alfonso the Wise. The King of León and Castile enacted a law making inns a must-have for alcoholic drinks, hoping to preserve the decorous appearance of visitors and prevent aggression caused by excessive drinking. Obedient innkeepers began to bring jugs of strong drinks, covering them with a small snack. This is how the name "tapas" appeared, which in Spanish means "cover" - "tapa".

For most Spaniards, tapas are not just food, they are a lifestyle: moving from bar to bar, chatting with friends, meeting new people. And it's not about drinking wine and eating snacks, it's just such an open people - the Spaniards. They even coined a term for them - tapear (taper is a tapas lover in a company). And how can you give up tapas with pickled or grilled vegetables, classic ham or chorizo ​​(smoked sausage), potato or rice balls, pickled mushrooms, fried squid and mussels?

Tortilla is incredibly popular (the most common of them is a flat cake in which an omelet with potatoes is wrapped) and banderilla (a mini-kebab with meat, seafood, vegetables, olives, etc.).

Tortilla, by the way, is considered the queen of tapas. This is the most beloved and universal dish of the Spaniards - "from the poor to the kings". Spinach, ham, tuna, peppers, onions, mushrooms and everything else that the cook's imagination suggests is suitable as a filling. You can eat it hot and cold, with salads, soups and even for dessert.

Throw in a fiery tapas party - let the colors of hot Andalusia enter your home!

Several tapas recipes

So, a few tapas recipes (they have not been covering jugs for a long time, but served on skewers, plates, in flat cakes, or even on bread) for four cheerful amigos invited to visit:

  1. Shrimps in white Spanish wine. They need to be fried in vegetable oil (moderate fire, like the beginning of the Catalan sardana) with chopped garlic, dill and Tabasco sauce for one to two minutes. Then add salt, add dry wine and simmer for another 5 minutes.
  2. Chicken fillet with basil, tomatoes and green beans. Fry the fillet, cooled and cut into small cubes, in a hot frying pan until the crust is golden, like the Spanish sun. Place exactly 8 drops of Tabasco next to the bird and stir a little later. Add tomato pulp, salt and wait for the sauce to thicken.
  3. Patatas bravas. Deep-fry the potatoes cut into small cubes until tender, dry on a paper towel and lightly salt. Ground caraway seeds, red dry paprika, mayonnaise, ketchup and wine vinegar are slightly diluted with water and mixed. Sprinkle the potatoes generously with this sauce to make them look like the stones of the Costa Verde protruding from the sea waters.
  4. Pincho with jamon and parmesan. Mix chopped garlic, tomatoes, paprika and mushrooms, season with olive oil and stir. Spread eight slices of baguette with this "hellish" mixture, top with jamon, sprinkle with Parmesan and send to a hot oven.
  5. Tortilla. Pour the fried potatoes with onions with the egg-milk mixture, salt, pepper and fry until thick and golden brown. Then cover the pan with a large plate, use it to quickly turn the tortilla over and fry again until golden brown, but on the other side.

The final chord will be the legendary "Barcelona", which can be chanted while distributing raincoats and mantles to guests.

With recipes, conjure as you please.