No Venezuelan gathering is complete without a tray of tequeños. They disappear faster than you can fry them, and the good news is the technique is simple once you've done it a couple of times.
The cheese
Queso blanco llanero is the traditional choice — it's a firm, salty white cheese that holds its shape when fried instead of melting into a puddle. Cut it into sticks about the size of your index finger, roughly 3 inches long and half an inch thick.
Wrapping
Cut the dough into strips about an inch wide. Starting at one end of the cheese stick, wrap the dough around it in a spiral, slightly overlapping each turn, and press the ends firmly to seal. A loose seal is the number one reason tequeños leak cheese in the fryer — take the extra few seconds to pinch it closed properly.
Frying
Heat the oil to medium — too hot and the dough browns before the inside cooks through; too cool and they turn greasy. Fry in small batches so the oil temperature doesn't drop, turning occasionally, until golden on all sides, about 3-4 minutes total.
Serving
Drain on paper towels for a minute, then serve immediately while the cheese is still warm and stretchy — tequeños are best fresh from the fryer, not reheated.
We carry queso blanco llanero at all our Metro Vancouver locations — ask our staff if you don't see it out on the shelf.