15 To 18 Red chile pods
3 c Water
2 tb Flour
2 tb Cooking oil
2 cl Garlic, crushed
Salt
3 Eggs
1 tb Cracker crumbs
Remove the stems and seeds from the chile pods, wash and dry . Place
the chile on a cooking sheet and bake at 350 F until pods are soft.
Puree pods and water into a paste in the blender. Mix flour and oil
and brown. Add Chile puree, bring to a boil and simmer to the
consistancy of gravy. Add crushed garlicand salt to taste. Simmer an
additional 30 minutes. Seperate eggs. Beat egg yolks and add
cracker crumbs. Beat egg whites until stiff, and fold in egg yolks.
Drop by tb into hot oil and brown on both sides. Drain on a paper
towel, and then add them to the red chile.
This dish was popular because the red chile was always available,
dried in ristras from the previous year’s crop and the chickens were
laying eggs in plentiful numbers in the spring. Eggs were used in
place of meat during Lent because on certain days the church
prohibited eating meat.
Torta De Huevo is excellent served with beans and tortillas. WALT New
Mexico Magazine April-93 (Yes, New Mexico is a state in the USA)
Yields
4 Servings