Tell me what Entroido dessert you eat and we will tell you where you are from

There is no doubt that the cocido, the lacón con grelos, the androlla, the botelo or other elaborations starring pork, are some of the flagships of Galician gastronomy during the Entroido. However, these main dishes find a great rival when it comes to dessert. And the fact is that there are countless sweets that we put in our mouths during these dates and that delight both children and adults.

Filloas

Although we adore them as if they were ours alone, Galicians share custody with Asturias and Leon of the filloas. Although each master has his own book, this delicious dessert is usually prepared with flour, water, milk or broth, eggs, salt and a good piece of bacon so that it does not stick to the stone.

The filloas, also known in some places as freixós, frilloas, filloas or fillogas, begin to be prepared with the slaughter of the pig. Thus, it is also common to find filloas made from pig's blood, to which spices are added.

As for the origin of the filloas, there are several theories. One of them would point to the Romans, who already consumed a cake-shaped mixture made with water, spices, honey, eggs and a flour called "phyllon" (a word that, if we look at it, has certain similarities with "filloa").

Orellas de Carnaval

The orellas de Entroido are a typical dessert, once again, both in Galicia and León. They require some skill to achieve the desired result, but the ingredients are simple and surely we all have them at home: flour, eggs, butter, milk, aniseed essence, oil, sugar and lemon zest.

Its shape, which reminds us of a pig's ears, has its own particular reason for being. Entroido gives way to Lent, a period in which Christians abstain from eating meat, so the Carnival orellas were made to simulate a portion of pig's ears and to make the fasting more bearable to some extent.

Flowers and lemon leaves

As in the previous desserts, the Entroido flowers share many of the same ingredients. To make them, eggs, flour, sugar, milk, salt, aniseed, oil for frying and a flower-shaped mold are necessary.

They are usually present on Galician tables, but also in Castilla La Mancha and Extremadura.

If we talk about flowers, we also talk about lemon leaves. It is believed that this curious preparation, formed by fried and battered lemon tree leaves, originated in Tui and then spread to other areas of Galicia, mainly in the province of Lugo.

Aniseed doughnuts and pumpkin "chulas"

We can see them throughout the year in Galician fairs and festivals, but aniseed doughnuts reach their peak during the Entroido. On the other hand, we cannot forget the pumpkin chulas, a fried sweet typical of these dates but also of Samaín.

Torta do Cigarrón and Bica of Laza

In Verín and Laza are not only typical their cigarrones and peliqueiros, but also their sweetest elaborations. Among them we can find the torta do cigarrón, prepared with chestnuts, almonds, walnuts and honey; and the bica blanca de Laza, so called because it is prepared only with egg whites, together with wheat flour, cream and sugar.