Think that Mexican-style tortillas aren't found in Spain? Think again! These talos con chistorra are a Navarran corn tortillas filled with cheese, sausage, or a variety of other fillings. Recreate this simple dish from northern Spain at home!
Love food from the Basque country and the north of Spain? Try these recipes for marmitako (Basque tuna stew) and gâteau basque.
Introduction
On my trip to Navarra in 2013, one of my most anticipated activities was a talos cooking class. But what are talos? They're not a Spanish tortilla (which is like an omelet), but rather a Mexican tortilla, which is made from corn. It doesn't matter what you call them--they're delicious!
After living in Spain for nearly five years, I was surprised to find out that the Mexican style tortillas, which are difficult to find in most of Spain, are a popular food in Navarra and Basque Country! It's another example of how regional Spanish cooking can be.
Ingredients
Wondering what ingredients you need to whip up talos con chistorra? Grab these key ingredients, and you'll be ready to start!
- Corn Flour: This isn't cornmeal or cornstarch; you'll need to use finely ground corn flour.
- Water: Use hot water to bring the dough together.
- Salt: This adds flavor to the talos.
- Chistorra (Optional): Brown these Navarran sausages in a pan and stuff them inside the talos before serving. If you can't get chistorra, useanother kind of sausage instead.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Talos con Chistorra
If you’d like to see the full ingredients and instructions, scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card.
- Pour the corn flour and a pinch of salt into a bowl and slowly add the hot water, mixing with your hands to create a mixture with a Playdough-like consistency. (image 1)
- Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it sit for an hour. Knead for 5 minutes or so until it's smooth. (image 2)
- Sprinkle the work surface with some corn flour. Roll some of the dough into a ball and place on the work surface. (image 3)
- Slap the dough until you have a round, thin disc, adding more flour as needed. (image 4)
- Slide the talo into a hot frying pan or electric griddle and cook on each side until it's browned and bubbly. (image 5)
- Enjoy the talos with chistorra (a Navarran sausage) or any other filling you'd like! (image 6)
Recipe FAQs
Reminiscent of a Colombian arepa or a Mexican corn tortilla, talos are a historic dish found in Basque Country and Navarra. It seems that it was difficult to grow grains like wheat and barley in this high mountainous region, so the people turned to corn.
At one point, the talos became the people's substitute for bread, and a typical dish at the time was leftover talos mized with milk. Our cooking instructor told us that this was a dish with humble origins; a poor man's food that now is popular at regional festivals and holiday meals.
If you've never tried chistorra, I assure you this skinny sausage is a crowd pleaser. Made from a delicious blend of lean pork, pork fat, and pork belly, it is usually seasoned with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic. It is popular in most of Spain in the preparation of huevos rotos, and in Navarra was served often as a hot starter before the main dish.
Serve
Making the talos is pretty easy, and fortunately you can stuff them with whatever you want. In Navarra, the typical choice is chistorra, but you could also use pancetta, cheese, blood sausage, etc. Supposedly children even eat them with chocolate!
Expert Tips
- I've found yellow corn flour in health food shops in Madrid. A finely ground corn meal should do the trick!
- Be sure to add the right amount of water to the dough. Too little and it will be too dry; too much, and it will be sticky. Go by the feel of the dough and not only by the amount of water.
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Talos con Chistorra Recipe (Corn Tortillas with Sausage)
Ingredients
- 3 cups yellow corn flour not cornmeal and not corn starch
- 1 cup + 1 tablespoon hot water as hot as you can handle
- 1 pinch salt
- chistorra or other sausage or other fillings as desired
Instructions
- Pour the corn flour and the pinch of salt into a large bowl and slowly add the hot water, bringing the dough together with your hands. Add enough hot water until you get an elastic dough with the consistency of Playdough. You may need more or less water than the recipe states.
- Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for about an hour.
- Knead the dough for at least 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle corn flour on a wooden work surface. Make a small ball of dough and put it in the center of the work surface.
- Slap the dough, adding more flour when necessary, until you have a thin tortilla (talo).
- Slide the talo into a hot frying pan or electric grill and cook each side until it starts to brown and bubble.
- Enjoy with your favorite filling. Wwe recommend crispy fried chistorra sausage!
Notes
- I've found yellow corn flour in health food shops in Madrid. A finely ground corn meal should do the trick!
- Be sure to add the right amount of water to the dough. Too little and it will be too dry; too much, and it will be sticky. Go by the feel of the dough and not only by the amount of water.
Nutrition
Photography by Giulia Verdinelli
Josu
As a Navarrese living abroad I must say this post made my mouth water. Oh dear.
The problem with talos is they're hard to get if it's not in certain festivals.
Also, I should like to add —if it's not too rude— that lots of Navarrese people consider ourselves completely Basque (in fact, some would say Navarre is the real Basque Country!). This can especially be seen in the Basque-speaking areas of the north (like Leitza itself) which is why things like talo, cider houses and other various yummy particularities are to be found there.
Anyway, thank you and keep it up with the nice blog!
Diarmuid Breatnach
Agree with what you say Josu.
Lauren H. of Sobremesa In Spain
I had never heard of these before - but they look delish! I could easily get on the talos band wagon. Navarra must be a fascinating part of Spain, look forward to seeing the other posts.
Lauren Aloise
I know, I was so surprised to hear about them! Can't you just imagine a talos food truck roaming the streets of Madrid or Barcelona? Navarra was great, but it felt like we didn't even scratch the surface. More to come!
Diarmuid Breatnach
Thanks for this -- I have the txistorra (Basque spelling, same pronunciation) and now have to get the corn flour. Navarra or Nafarroa is part of the Basque Country, one of the four provinces of that nation in the Spanish state (there another three in the French state). Many, probably most Basques would say it is not part of Spain but any attempt to test this by referendum has been ruled out by the Spanish National Court, which says it would go against the Spanish Constitution and threatened the referendum's proponents with imprisonment.
Whatever about that and whether one wishes to agree that Navarre is part of Spain or not, it cannot be denied that Basque food, along with their cuisine, music and language, are not at all Spanish but are instead Basque.