top of page
Writer's pictureCulinary Cam

Torta de Fiambre + a Single Vineyard Albariño from Uruguay

I am hosting the August #WorldWineTravel event where I invited writers to take a deeper dive into the wines from Uruguay - I got my hands on some lighter shades of wine. I have long been a fan of Tannat from Uruguay, but I wanted to explore some whites and some rosés.


I already poured and shared the Artesana Canelones Tannat Rosé 2021 which I matched with Pancho hot dogs. Read that post! For this pairing I got my hands on a Single Vineyard Albariño from Uruguay.


Bodega Garzón Uruguay Single Vineyard Albariño 2021


Bodega Garzón is located in a charming region of Uruguay, where sloping hills meet the sea. The small town has a population of just over 500 and is rife with farmers and artists. Sounds like somewhere I'd love to visit. Maybe one of these days...


Through my research I discovered that most Uruguayan farms are small, averaging only about five hectares, and are family-run, staying in one family for multiple generations. What I loved even more than that is that this small agricultural country has never implemented large-scale chemical fertilizers or insecticides. In fact, in their thriving meat industry, growth hormones have been banned since 1968 and, today, all Uruguayan beef is organic and grass-fed.


This is a single varietal, single vineyard wine. It pours a clear, pale yellow with aromas that remind me of tropical fruits with nuanced layer of citrus and stone fruit. On the palate, the wine has a roundness with an underlying salinity and minerality. There is also a pronounced flavor of lime and peaches.


Torta de Fiambre


Torta de Fiambre is a savory Uruguayan pie with a crust filled with ham, cheese, eggs, and sometimes creamy white sauce. The word 'fiambre' is a kind of ham available in Uruguay, which is completely different from fiambre from Guatemala that is served on All Souls Day. I posted a Fiambre Rojo for Día de los Muertos a couple of years ago.


There were several different versions I saw with crusts that were similar to empanada dough to a pizza dough and even a think almost pancake-like batter. I opted for the second option though, if I were to make this again, I think I'd go with the empanada dough.


Ingredients

Dough

  • 2 cups whole wheat flour

  • 1 cup white flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil

  • 1-1/2 cups warm water

  • 1/4 cup fresh herbs, finely chopped (I used parsley, basil, thyme, and oregano)

Filling

  • 1/4 cup chimichurri

  • 6 slices prosciutto

  • 3 slices smoked ham, diced

  • 2 cups shredded cheese (I used a combination of mozzarella and Monterey Jack

  • 3 hardboiled eggs, peeled and quartered


Procedure

Dough

Mix all of the dough ingredients together in a large bowl. The texture will be a wet, sticky dough. Cover and let ferment for as long as you can - between six and twelve hours. At the end of that, use the dough as you would use any pizza dough.


Assembly

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Divide the dough into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other. Roll the dough into large circles. The larger one will be the base, the smaller will be the top.


Line a baking dish with the larger circle. Smear the bottom with chimichurri and layer in the ham, cheese, and eggs.


Place the smaller dough on the top and crimp the edges together with your fingers to seal in the fillings.


Bake for 12 to 14 minutes - until the dough is browned firm to the touch. Let rest for 3 minutes before slicing. Take care that the steam doesn't burn you!

15 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comentários


bottom of page