Torta de Fiambre (Baked Ham & Cheese Sandwiches): A Taste of Uruguay

The Torta de Fiambre is an amazingly easy and delicious baked sandwich popular in Uruguay. It's ready to pop into the oven in 5 minutes, and makes a wonderful portable sandwich to pack for picnics and hikes, to serve for outdoor entertaining, or to send in bag lunches. Simple and tasty, but easily customizable (and works great for gluten free, too). [Skip to recipe.]

Come with me and let's do some more armchair traveling as we head to Uruguay this month for our Eat the World recipe challenge. One of the smallest countries in South America (population 3.5 million), Uruguay is a hidden gem tucked between Brazil and Argentina on the east coast of South America. Uniquely different from its imposing neighbours, this little country is often known as the 'Switzerland of South America' because it is such a safe country; it's politically, socially, and economically very stable.

Uruguay is at the top of my bucket list to visit one day, and I'll give away my dirty little secret to tell you why. To explain, I'll have to confess that I am a secret television Bachelor/Bachelorette addict (I know, I know, but we all need our vices). I just can't help myself - I love the romance, and the beautiful locations, and all the crazy drama. A few seasons ago, the show traveled to Uruguay, and I fell in love myself. I was mesmerized by the beauty of the country. Uruguay is a land of vast cattle ranches and beautiful beaches. Its cities are rich with history and memorable for their stunning European-style architecture. So now, I'm hooked. I am really hoping to travel there some day.

Uruguayan food is surprisingly un-spicy for a latin country. Because of its heavy colonization by European immigrants, the food has a strong Spanish, French, and especially Italian influence. Uruguay's reliance on beef, like the neighbouring Brazilian and Argentinian cuisine, is supplemented by a lot of pasta, rice, and sweet dishes.

The Uruguayan dish that caught my fancy is a simple one - just a tray of baked ham and cheese sandwiches. But what a delicious convenience it has turned out to be! I've made this recipe several times already, and am in love with its quick and easy preparation and its perfect adaptability for picnics, packed lunches, and feeding a crowd.

Torta de Fiambre is a baked ham and cheese sandwich in a pan. In my recipe research I found that the dough can be made in a variety of ways, from a complicated laminated dough, almost like a puff pastry (too much work for lazy me) to a thicker more biscuit-like dough, to a simple pancake-like batter that gets whizzed up in a blender. Well, you can guess which version I went with. The blender method takes 2 minutes to whip up and the resulting taste and texture is fantastic. I'm sure the complicated doughs are delicious, too, but this blender version seems to be very popular in Uruguay.

It is simplicity itself. You pour half of the batter into a pan, layer in some ham and cheese slices (and anything else that strikes your fancy), pour on the rest of the batter and bake. Doesn't that sound easy?! Cut it into squares and serve. My kind of sandwiches.

The cheese melts into luscious gooeyness and the ham adds a delicious saltiness. Torta means cake, and Fiambre is the name of a type of ham popular in Uruguay. I've made this baked sandwich plain with just ham and cheese, and I've added sliced boiled eggs to it, but there are a lot of other bits and pieces you can add to customize this dish. I love that it turns out equally well when made with a gluten free flour blend.

In Uruguay Torta de Fiambre is often eaten at room temperature and packed for picnic lunches or served at outdoor gatherings. It's a great snack on the go, too. I know I'm going to be making it often this summer to pack on hikes or to serve after a day of gardening when I'm too busy to cook. And if we can ever start entertaining again, these sandwiches will be great for feeding a crowd, too.

 

Quick and Easy Torta de Fiambre - a Simple & Delicious Sandwich

1. Whiz up the simple batter in a blender. Pour half of it into a greased pan.

2. Layer on the ham slices.

3. Then add the cheese slices. Repeat ham and cheese.

4. Sprinkle with pepper. Pour on the rest of the batter.

5. Smooth it out.

6. Add a bit of shredded cheese, and bake until it's a rich golden colour.

It will puff up as it bakes, then deflate somewhat as it cools. Let it cool in the pan a bit, and slice it into squares.

Eat them now or pack some for later.

Torta de Fiambre are the most luscious grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, encased in a soft, moist layer of delicious batter with a crispy, cheesy, crackly top.

It's Grilled Cheese 2.0.

* * * * *

 

Kitchen Frau Notes: I've combined several Uruguayan recipes to adapt the amounts to work well in a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33cm) pan, which can be cut into 12 squares. You can use a slightly larger pan if you wish. To make a smaller batch, serving 2 plus some leftovers, make half the recipe (use 2 eggs) and put it into a 9-inch square pan.

Baking the Torta de Fiambre in a glass pan provides more heat and gives you that beautiful crispy bottom and crackly top. If you use a metal pan, it may take a few minutes longer to bake and get golden.

Torta de Fiambre (Baked Ham & Cheese Sandwiches)

• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup (120ml) oil
• 2 cups (480ml) milk
• 2 cups (280gms) all purpose flour (or a gluten free flour blend)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 250 grams (½ lb) thinly sliced deli ham
• 250 grams (½ lb) sliced cheese (easy melting cheeses like mozzarella, havarti, monterey jack, cheddar, etc), or shredded if sliced is unavailable
• freshly ground pepper to taste
• 50 grams (½ cup) finely grated Parmesan cheese or shredded cheese, for the top
• optional add-ins: sliced hard-boiled eggs, sliced black or green olives, sautéed onions, chopped bell pepper, sautéed mushrooms, sliced tomatoes, pickled jalapeños, crumbled cooked bacon, etc.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Generously grease a 9 x 13 inch (23 x 33 cm) baking pan with oil.

Place the eggs, milk, oil, flour, baking powder, and salt in a blender canister. Blend until smooth. (Alternately, whisk or beat the liquid ingredients, then gradually mix in the dry ingredients and beat until smooth.)

Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Shake the pan gently from side to side to distribute the batter evenly. Lay half the ham on top of the batter in an even layer, tearing pieces to fit and cover the spaces.  Top with an even layer of half the cheese slices.

Sprinkle with pepper and add one or two of the optional add-ins, if using them.

Repeat the ham and cheese layer with the remaining slices.

Top with the remaining batter and spread it smooth with a spatula. Make sure to spread it right to the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is a rich, deep, golden colour.

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then cut into squares and serve. If serving the Torta de Fiambre later or packing it for a picnic, remove the squares to a cooling rack to prevent the bottoms of the sandwiches from steaming and getting soggy as they cool. When cool, wrap the sandwiches in wax paper or pack into a container for transporting. Torta de Fiambre is best served slightly warm or at room temperature.

Makes 12 small sandwiches, serving 6.

Guten Appetit!

Check out all the wonderful Uruguayan dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Click here to find out how to join and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us!

Magical Ingredients: Tortas Fritas
Sneha’s Recipe: Torta Frita -Uruguay
Pandemonium Noshery: Polvito Uruguayo
Palatable Pastime: Grilled Chicken Pinchitos
Sugarlovespices: Uruguayan Pancho Hot Dog with Fries on the Side
Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Pasta Caruso
Culinary Adventures with Camilla: Empanadas a la Criolla, Uruguayan Wines, and Upcoming #TannatDay
Kitchen Frau: Torta de Fiambre (Baked Ham & Cheese Sandwiches)
Cultureatz: Chaja Cake, an Uruguayan Peach Meringue Layer Cake
A Day in the Life on the Farm: Milanesa Napolitana
Making Miracles: The Chivito: Uruguay's Iconic Steak & Egg Sandwich

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Check out my past ‘Eat the World’ Recipe Challenge posts:

(in alphabetical order)

• Argentina: Red Chimichurri Sauce
• Bangladesh: Chingri Masala (Shrimp Curry)
• Bulgaria: Patatnik (Savoury Potato and Cheese Pie)
• Cambodia: Noum Kong (Cambodian Rice Flour Doughnuts)
• Colombia: Pan de Yuca (Warm Cheese Buns)
• Egypt: Fava Beans and Feta
• England: Gluten Free Fish and Chips and Mushy Peas
• Ethiopia: Four Ethiopian Recipes for a Fantastic Feast
• Fiji: Spiced Sweet Potato and Banana Salad
• Finland: Lohikeitto (Creamy Salmon, Potato, and Dill Soup)
• France: Axoa d’Espelette (A Simple Stew from the Basque Country)
• Georgia: Charkhlis Chogi (Beets with Sour Cherry Sauce)
• Hungary: Túrós Csusza (Pasta Scraps with Cottage Cheese)
• India: Kerala Upma (Fluffy, Kerala Style Breakfast Upma Recipe)
• Iraq: Tepsi Baytinijan (Eggplant & Meatball Casserole)
• Ireland: Dublin Coddle (A tasty Sausage and Potato Stew)
• Israel: Cucumber, Feta, and Watermelon Salad
• Jamaica: Rice and Peas (Coconut Rice and Red Beans)
• Kenya: Maharagwe with Ugali (Red Beans with Cornmeal Slice)
• Laos: Ping Gai (Lao Grilled Chicken Wings)
• Luxembourg: Stäerzelen (Buckwheat Dumplings)
• Mexico: Cochinita Pibil Tacos (Pit Barbecued Pig to Make in Your Oven)
• Netherlands: Boerenkool Stamppot (Kale-Potato Mash with Sausages & Pears)
• New Zealand: Classic Pavlova
• Poland: Polish Honey Cake
• Portugal: Tuna and Sardine Pâtés
• Puerto Rico: Piña Colada Cocktail
• Senegal: Mafé (Beef and Peanut Stew)
• Sudan: Peanut Butter Creamed Spinach & Peanut Meringue Cookies
• Sweden: Swedish Meatballs with Cream Gravy
• Switzerland (Christmas): Basler Leckerli Cookies
• Thailand: Shrimp Laksa (Khung)
• Trinidad & Tobago: Peanut Butter Prunes
• Ukraine: Buckwheat Kasha with Beef
• United States (Soul Food): Smothered Pork Chops
• Vietnam: Caramelized Pork Rice Bowls