Lenten Bread Pudding- Mema’s Capirotada

Mema’s capirotada

No, this is not my mother’s recipe (she was also Mema) or mine but that of another Mema, my dear friend Elisa’s grandmother who is the reason I chose to have my grandchildren call me Mema too. I was very close to her at one time and used to visit the three sisters; Adela, Tata and Mema who was my favorite.  She was a great cook and always had an apron on or that is how I remember her anyway.  I also remember her drying her hands on the edge of her delantal, her silver hair in a thin net,  and a huge smile always.  I never once heard her complain.

This is Elisa’s version of her Mema’s recipe for capirotada, the most popular Lenten dessert.

I have a love-hate relationship with the dish but I am in the minority.  Besides it is traditional and you know how important it is for me to try to make my culture known and understood.

You will need to make the syrup first:

Ingredients

5 cups water

3-4 piloncillos (brown sugar cones)

3 whole cloves,

4 cinammon sticks

2 large tomatillos, peeled

1 medium-size red onion, peeled and coarsely chopped

Combine water, piloncillo, clove and cinammon,  onion and tomatillo in a heavy Dutch oven or large saucepan.  Bring to a boil over high heat; lower heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the syrup thickens somewhat, about 20 minutes  Set aside and keep warm.

Elisa says that this recipe requires “to taste” amounts of ingredients but I know you want guidance even if you will do “to taste” anyway!

4 -5 bolillo or French rolls, cut into 1-inch slices, toasted

1 stick butter

1 15-ounce can garbanzos (chick peas) peeled and mashed

½ pound cheddar cheese, grated

¼ cup whole pecans

¼ cup dark raisins

¼ cup peanuts

colaciones (special brightly colored candies) optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a baking dish place the toasted pieces of bolillo bread with a little butter on each piece.  layer the mashed garbanzos (chick peas), cheddar cheese, the raisins, peanuts and a few pecans,  and pour some of the syrup to moisten all pieces of bread.  Repeat the layering and finish it off with the grated cheddar on top. Sprinkle with optional colaciones. Cover and place in the oven  for about a half an hour.  Serve the remaining syrup on the side.