Baleada
|
A baleada, as it is usually served | |
| Type | Tortilla |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Honduras |
| Region or state | the South Coast |
| Serving temperature | always warm |
| Main ingredients | Wheat flour, fried beans |
 Cookbook: Baleada  Media: Baleada | |
A Baleada (Spanish pronunciation: [baleˈaða]) is a traditional Honduran dish composed of a flour tortilla, often quite thick, folded in half and filled with mashed fried black beans (a variety of beans native from Central and South America). It originates from the north coast of the country; Aside from beans, there is a whole variety of ingredients that can be added to the Baleada. The most common types of baleadas are the baleadas sencillas (simple baleada) which has crumbled cheese and crema. Other common variety of baleada is the baleada mixta (mixed baleada) which has the same as the baleada simple but with an addition of scrambled eggs. Many other people add sausage, plantain, hot sauce, avocado, chicken, pork and chimol which is diced tomato, onion and bell pepper. The big Honduran towns often have more than one restaurant that sells baleadas.
Types of baleada
There are different kinds of baleada according to the ingredients chosen by the customer or the region of Honduras.
- Simple baleada (refried red beans, cream/crema, cheese)
- Special baleadas (refried red beans, cream/crema, cheese, scrambled eggs)
- Super special baleadas (refried red beans, cream/crema, cheese, scrambled eggs, chicken, ground meat or sausage)
In the region of Olancho and Ocotepeque the special baleada is served with all of the above and "carne asada" (grilled meat).
The Bay Island of Utila, off the coast of La Ceiba, adds pickled onions and creole (criollo) cheese to the beans.
In popular culture
In Honduran movie Amor y Frijoles, the protagonist is a woman that cooks baleadas for a living.
In 2017, Chef Ramsay visited Honduras. He ate baleadas while there and said that baleadas are the best Latin American dish.[1]