Chochoca,[1]chochoyeco,trotroyeco[2] ortrutru is a traditional dish inChiloé[3] andHuilliche[2] cuisine inChile. It consists of a dough of grated raw potatoes mixed with cooked potatoes[2][3]—or of cooked potatoes mixed with flour[4]—that is roasted over the fire on a largespit shaped like arolling pin, which is known as apalo chochoquero.[3]
There are two varieties of chochoca that differ in the type of dough they use. Thenegra (black) uses a combination of raw and cooked potatoes, as is used formilcao, while theblanca (white) uses a mix of cooked potatoes and flour, as is used in the similar Chiloé dishes tortilla de papa and cema. Chochoca negra is more traditional and is made with grated raw potatoes that have been squeezed dry with a dish cloth and then mixed with mashed cooked potatoes, salt, and pig lard. However, chochoca blanca is more common today. Its dough is made of equal parts wheat flour and mashed cooked potatoes.[3]
After the dough is ready, it is shaped into flat rectangles of 50 to 60 cm (20 to 24 inches) in length and 50 cm wide, and just over 1 cm (about 1/2 inch) high, which are wrapped around a spit shaped like a large rolling pin, known as apalo chochoquero, which measures about 1.5 m (5 feet) long not counting its handles. The strips of dough are placed next to each other completely covering the spit and overlapping slightly so they form one solid piece. The surface of the spit is covered in lard to help the dough adhere.[3]
The dish is cooked over the embers, turning slowly as you would roasted meat, for around 30 minutes. Once cooked, it is cut into portions and stuffed withchicharrón orllides (small scraps of meat left in the lard after areitimiento [es], then rolled up and served hot.[3]
Chochoca is not prepared frequently for family meals, but instead for special occasions or as part of food festivals. It is also made by vendors selling typical dishes of Chiloé and among the Huilliche people of theOsorno andRanco provinces, where it is known astrutruyeko. Outside of those places, its consumption is rare, although it can be found at traditional celebrations inPatagonia andLlanquihue province due to migration there from Chiloé.
The dish is not to be confused with thePeruvianchuchoca [es], a ground corn product that is used to make a soup sometimes known assopa de chochoca.[5]