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Torta flaó

17/11/2023

The Torta flaó (or flaó) is a traditional dessert from the Balearic Islands, particularly Ibiza and Formentera, in Spain. It is a cake made with sheep or goat cheese, flavored with fresh mint, which makes it unique and refreshing. I will share it with you reflecting the original version, but if you wish, I can suggest how to add an Italian touch. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

For the pastry:

  • 300 g of flour
  • 100 g of lard (or butter, if you prefer)
  • 75 g of sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • Grated zest of 1 lemon

For the filling:

  • 500 g of fresh goat or sheep cheese (or a mixture of the two)
  • 200 g of sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 handful of fresh mint leaves

Preparation

  1. Let’s start with the pastry: in a bowl, combine the flour, lard, sugar, egg, salt, and lemon zest. Work the ingredients until you get a smooth and homogeneous dough. Form a ball, wrap it in plastic film and let it rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

  2. For the filling: in a bowl, mash the fresh cheese with a fork until creamy. Add the sugar, eggs, and finely chopped mint leaves. Mix well until you get a smooth cream.

  3. Take the dough from the refrigerator and roll it out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface, until it’s about half a centimeter thick.

  4. Line a pie tin (preferably with a removable bottom) with the rolled out dough, making sure to create a high edge.

  5. Pour the cheese and mint filling onto the pastry base.

  6. Bake the flaó cake in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 40-45 minutes, or until the filling is golden and slightly puffed up.

  7. Let the cake cool before removing it from the mold.

Flaó is typically served cold and often accompanied by a glass of sweet wine or herbal liqueur. It is an ideal dessert for spring, but delicious all year round.

Did you know?

In the local Ibicencan culture, this cake is the quintessential Easter dessert, but now it is found throughout the year in the bars and farmhouses of the island, a testament to its popularity.

If you feel like experimenting with an Italian twist, you could use a mixture of ricotta and mascarpone cheese, and perhaps serve the cake with a dollop of whipped cream and candied lemon peel for decoration.

Torta flaò