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Patay
Patay: dense, naturally sweet cake of ground algarroba (Prosopis) pods from Santiago del Estero
Long before sugar reached the dry northwest, the pods of the algarrobo tree were the region's sweetness, and patay is the oldest way of keeping them: the pods are ground, the flour is moistened and pressed into a cake that dries into something dense, fudgy and naturally sweet, with notes of cocoa, coffee and caramel. In Santiago del Estero you still buy it in round slabs at markets and roadside stalls, to eat with mate or to crumble into milk. Harina de algarroba comes from the South American Prosopis tree; look for it in health-food shops or online, and mesquite flour is the same family and works well. Mediterranean carob flour is different and tastes more bitter. Too much water is the way most first attempts go wrong: the cake should be pressed from a damp, crumbly mix, not a batter, or it bakes up gummy. Chef's tip: sieve the flour twice; algarroba flour clumps, and lumps stay as hard grains.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Sieve 14 oz harina de algarroba (Prosopis flour) or mesquite flour twice into a bowl with 1 pinch salt, breaking up any lumps with your fingers.
Step 2: Sprinkle in ½ cup water a little at a time, rubbing it in with your fingertips, until the mixture holds together like damp sand when squeezed. Mix in walnuts if using.
Step 3: Heat the oven to 325°F (275°F fan). Line a 20 cm round tin with baking paper.
Step 4: Tip the mixture into the tin and press it down very firmly with the base of a glass into a compact cake about 2.5 cm thick.
Step 5: Bake until the surface is dry and slightly darker and the edges pull away from the tin.
25 minStep 6: Cool completely in the tin; it firms up as it cools. Cut into wedges and keep in an airtight tin for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 12 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does patay take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
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