Spanish Olive Oil Tortas ~ Tortas de Aceite

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).

In a large bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups flour (180 g), salt, and fennel seeds.

Pour the oil into a measuring cup or another bowl containing the water, stir in the sugar and yeast, and mix well. Let rest for a few minutes until it becomes frothy.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and slowly pour in the yeast mixture, using a fork to gradually mix in the flour. When everything starts to come together, use your hands to mix it into a smooth dough. If the dough is sticky as heck, add some or all of the remaining 1 cup flour, a little at a time, until a smooth dough forms. It's quite possible you'll need to add at least 1/2 cup and as much as the full 1 cup.

Lightly oil 2 large baking sheets and then dust them with confectioners' sugar. Lightly flour a clean work surface and a rolling pin with all-purpose flour.

Divide your dough into 12 equal-size pieces and shape each one into a ball. Roll out each ball until it's almost translucent and somewhere around 4 inches in diameter. TESTER TIP: It's not a specific thickness, such as 1/16 or 1/8 inch, that you want to look for with the dough. Rather, it's when the dough becomes so thin as to be almost transparent. That's when you know it's at the proper place. And don't worry about attaining a perfect circular shape. These are intended to be rustic.

Place each torta on a baking sheet and lightly brush with some beaten egg white. Lightly dust the dough first with confectioners' sugar and then a little raw sugar.

Bake for 5 to 12 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Watch the tortas closely as they can burn in seconds.

Immediately transfer the tortas to wire racks to cool and crisp. Devour warm or at room temperature. The tortas will crumble into flaky loveliness as you take a bite, and will then quickly dissolve into sweet nothingness within seconds. So lovely.

Dessert