Peruvian Tequeños

Peruvian tequeños are one of those things that you eat for the first time and then scratch your head wondering why you've never thought of doing that yourself. They're simplified version of a Venezuelan delicacy that we first tried at the El Truco restaurant in Cusco.

They are also stupidly easy to make. All you do is take a wonton wrapper and put some cheese in the middle. Then wet the outer edge of the wrapper, and fold it in half to make a sealed pocket. Fry the result in oil on each side until brown.

The Peruvians do this with a semi-soft queso Andino and then serve it with a smash of avocado. Last time I checked, no one has bothered to import queso Andino (probably because it tastes kind of like Munster). We like to use something with a little more bite, but you don't want to go nuts. For the avocado, try a simple guacamole. Still, it's hard to imagine anything, with the exception of mint jelly and raspberry coulis, that wouldn't go well with them. I'd even put peanut butter on them, if no one was looking.

The more celebrated Venezuelan version involves frying bread dough with cheese instead of wontons. We'll get to that someday.

Peruvian Tequeños

10 wonton wrappers
2/3 cup cheese (cheddar or gruyere)

Set up a cutting board with a cup of water, the cheese, and the wrappers. Place a wrapper flat, put a small amount (1tsp or so) of cheese in the center. Wet your finger and trace it along the outer edge of the wrapper. Fold it over, removing as much air as possible, and press to seal.

Fill a heavy frying pan with about ½ inch of oil. Heat on high until it reaches 350 degrees. Fry the tequeños quickly on each side until lightly brown. Note: you may need to lower the heat if the oil starts smoking. Serve with a sauce or topping of your choice.