This sweet delicacy, which comes from ancient Spain, has become a traditional Holy Week dish in El Salvador. It is increasingly common to see new types of torrejas emerge thanks to the creativity of Salvadorans.

Holy Week is full of traditions, including dishes closely linked to this period of reflection for devotees of the Catholic Church. One such dish is the torreja, a gastronomic delight that appears at this time of year to sweeten the palates of Salvadorans.

To trace the origin of torrejas, we must consult the book "De re coquinaria" by Marco Gavio Apicio, published in the 1st century AD. This book compiles recipes from his time, and it is where this traditional delicacy can be found.

The story goes that Salvadoran torrejas come from this traditional Spanish dessert originating from the Torija region of the Guadalajara province in the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha.

According to this centuries-old book, the Spanish recipe for "aliter dulcia" ("sweet dish"), now known as "torreja," has hardly changed over twenty centuries. It maintains the same essence: taking several pieces of bread, soaking them in milk, and frying them in oil.

To learn about its traditional preparation, our "DePaseo" team from Diario El Salvador visited cook Lucía Morán from Pupusería Tania, located in Antiguo Cuscatlán. She also told us about the different types of torrejas that exist.

"We cut the yema bread, then put it in a tray and soaked the pieces in milk. Then we beat the eggs and wrap them. Once they are wrapped, we fry them and then put them back on a tray. We make the jelly or honey, whichever you like to call it. We make it with honey and cinnamon; sometimes we also add allspice. Some people make them with sandwich bread," Julia Morán explained to Diario El Salvador about the process of preparing torrejas.

This traditional sweet Holy Week dish can be prepared in different ways, with yema bread or sandwich bread. The jelly can vary between honey, cinnamon, or panela syrup. Some Salvadorans prefer them one way or another, depending on their personal taste.

In the surroundings of the central park of Antiguo Cuscatlán, in La Libertad Este, you can find various establishments and pupuserías where you can find this delicious traditional delicacy of the Holy Week season.