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| Type | Flatbread,cake,sandwich, oromelette |
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Torta is a culinary term that can, depending on the cuisine, refer to cakes, pies,flatbreads,sandwiches, oromelettes.
Usually, it refers to:
The word comes from the Spanishtorta (Spanish:[ˈtoɾta]), itself from Late Latintorta, an abbreviation oftorta panis ("twisted bread"). 'Torth' – Welsh for 'loaf' is of the same derivation (Latin: torta). The English word "tart" is related.
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In some countries ofLatin America, the wordtorta, in a very common usage, is for sweetcakes (tortes), such as awedding orbirthday cake. This meaning is also present in other European languages. For example, theItaliantorta,GermanTorte orFrenchtarte. In Mexico, "torta" refers to a sandwich and the sweet cake is normally referred to aspastel, which is also used in other parts ofLatin America with this meaning.Huevo en torta (not to be confused withtorta de huevo) is a typical pastry fromSobrarbe,Aragon, Spain.
In the southernPhilippines, in theVisayas andMindanao islands,torta is generally used to refer to small cakes. It usually refers tomamón ortorta mamón, a native porous sponge cake delicacy (traditionally made withlard andpalm wine) that resembles a largecupcake with butter, sugar, and/or cheese on top, traditionally served withsikwate (a thick, hot drink made of ground roasted cacao seeds) for afternoon snack or merienda.[1][2]
In Hungarian, Polish, Slovak, Slovene, Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, Swedish, Italian, Macedonian and Bulgarian, it is a word for cake, typically made withlayered sponge and cream, chocolate or fruit filling. In Portugal, it designates specifically aSwiss roll.
Sweet tarts in Arabic are called تورتَه (transliterated: twrtah)[3]
Torta in Spain originated in different regional variants offlatbread, of which thetorta de gazpacho[4] andtorta cenceña[5] still survives in certain areas of CentralSpain. Tortas are also mentioned inLeviticus 24:5-9, in the Spanish translation of theBible. Presently, however, the wordtorta is also applied to different kinds ofbread andpastry products according to the region.
Historically, the difference betweentorta andbread was its round and flat shape, as well as the use of baking soda/powder as the proofing agent instead ofyeast. In most regions, atorta was traditionally considered an inferior form of bread, as the well known Spanishaphorism expresses:
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In Mexico, a variation says:A falta de pan, tortillas ("Where there is no bread,tortillas"). However, the term "torta" in Mexico typically refers to a sandwich made with bread (seeMexico section, below, for more details).
Torta frita is a fried flatbread eaten inUruguay,Argentina and theChilean Patagonia.
In the northernPhilippines, particularly amongTagalog-speaking provinces and islands,torta refers to a class ofomelettes made by mixing eggs with various ingredients.[6]
Tortas can be served any time during the day. There are many variations on Filipino tortas, such as:
Tortilla de huevo is a small fried mixture ofscrambled eggs, usually eaten sandwiched in bread.
In Italian, "torta" means eithercake orpie, however sweet or savoury. However, in the US, it came to have a different meaning within the Italian-American community[citation needed].
The Italiantorta is differentiated fromcrostata by the filling: acrostata has an inconsistent chunky filling, whereas atorta has a consistent filling made of blended ingredients.[14]
Some falsely believe that an Italian crust torta is a combination of layered cheeses and tomatoes to be spread onto bread. Italian torta is a pie similar toquiche and served as a brunch item. However, torta is different than quiche as thecrust is mostly made of cheese, not egg. The crust can also be made from pizza dough. Ingredients vary as there are many variations of this torta. Traditional Italian torta usually includesricotta,parmesan,parsley, andonion. There are also variations that contain meat and some that are completely vegetarian. These vegetarian torte sometimes contain artichokes and spices for flavor. This torta is made in aspringform pan instead of a traditional pie pan.[15]
Torta in Portugal, Brazil and otherPortuguese speaking countries refers to a moist cake or a pie which can be a sweet or savory dish.
Torta in Malta means a pie, which can be sweet or savoury.
Most "tortas" are generally savoury, with a classicMaltese dish being "torta tal-lampuki" (lampuki, singular lampuka, are a type of common fish found in Maltese waters).
A common example of a sweet Maltese torta is "torta tal-lewz" (lewz, singularlewza, meansalmonds in Maltese. Almonds are a very common ingredient in Maltese cuisine, although some people prefer to use marzipan over almonds, either because of ease, taste preference or cost.
InVenezuela,Ecuador,Chile, andUruguay, people typically refer to dessert cakes as "tortas."
InMexico, atorta is a kind ofsandwich,[16] served on one of two types of whitesandwich rolls. The first is similar to a smallbaguette, and may be referred to as abolillo, birote, orpan francés depending on region. The second is a flat, oblong, soft roll also called asandwich roll, also referred as a telera. Tortas can be eaten cold or hot, and grilled or toasted in a press in the same manner as aCuban sandwich.
Garnishes such asavocado,chili pepper (usuallypoblano,chipotle orjalapeño),tomato, andonion are common. The dish is popular throughout Mexico, and is also available anywhere with a large Mexican population. In Northern Mexico, thetorta is very frequently calledlonche by influence of the English "lunch", as it may be eaten during lunch break.
The sandwich is normally named according to its main ingredient:
A fewtortas have names whose connections to their fillings is less clear. Thetorta ahogada (meaning "drowned"torta) ofGuadalajara is smothered in a red sauce. Different fillings are available and they may be mixed to create an originaltorta. Meanwhile, thetorta cubana ("Cubantorta") is stuffed with a variety of meats, the identity of which varies across Mexico. Thistorta is unrelated to the Cuban sandwich served in Florida and Cuba and is not believed to have any connection toCuban cuisine at all; instead, it seems to have been named for the place of its invention,Calle Republica de Cuba (Republic of Cuba Street) inMexico City.[17]
Due to the practicality of being hand-carried,tortas are sold at massive events, such as football matches, parades, and outdoor concerts, but they are also available for breakfast, lunch, or dinner at dedicated establishments or sold asstreet food byfood carts.
The origin of the torta is unclear, but some claim it sprouted inPuebla due to Spanish-French interaction; others argue it was a late-arriving example of American influence.[18]Teleras (the bread usually used in tortas) were inspired by French baguettes.[19]
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