Chapaleles are one of the most popular side dishes in the cuisine of southern Chile, specifically from the Chiloé archipelago. They are typically prepared as part of another major local dish, the curanto en hoyo (a traditional pit-cooked meal).
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How to make Chapaleles?
Making chapaleles involves creating a bread from wheat flour and Chilote potatoes, to which lard, cracklings, and optionally eggs for more consistency are added. These can be either savory or sweet.
Nutritional Information
Category: Breads
Cuisine: Chilean
Calories: 300
Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking: 30 minutes
Servings: 8 people
Chilean Chapaleles recipe
Ingredients
- 2 kg of potatoes
- 500 g of flour
- 100 g of cracklings
- 2 tablespoons of lard
- 2 eggs
- Salt
Preparation
- Cook the peeled potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water, then drain and mash them with a fork or mixer until smooth.
- Transfer the mashed potatoes to a large bowl, mix with the flour and knead firmly until you have a homogeneous dough. Incorporate the lard and chopped or ground cracklings, add salt to taste. Optionally, add 2 eggs to the dough for greater consistency.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F) for at least 10 minutes.
- Place the dough on a floured surface, divide and form small round breads about 10 cm in diameter. Arrange them on an oiled baking tray, then bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes.
- Serve the chapaleles hot, fresh from the oven, alone or as an accompaniment to other main dishes.
Types of Chapaleles
There are two basic types of chapaleles depending on their cooking method: chapaleles for curanto or pulmay, which are steamed or baked – made with lard and cracklings – and boiled chapaleles or humitas, which are typically consumed with honey or sugar.
Did you know?
Chiloé, an archipelago off the southern coast of Chile, is renowned for its unique cultural heritage, deeply influenced by a blend of indigenous Chono and Huilliche traditions and Spanish colonial history.
