When I was very young I loved this simple soup. I still remember seeing Nicaraguan women, carrying heavy baskets full of masa on their heads. So skilled were these women that they never touched the baskets with their hands, only to take them down when a customer came by. This fresh corn masa, combined with grated dried cheese, was sold ready to make this traditional soup for Lent. Even now, many years later, where cheese is expensive in Nicaragua at this time of the year, this tasty soup is once of the country's prized recipes.
Nicaragua has a very strong maize culture and we have hundreds of dishes made with corn, but this cheese soup is one of the more delicious. If you can buy Nicaraguan rosquillas in Latin American grocery stores (they are made with tortilla masa and dried cheese, too), there is no need to make the masa for this recipe because rosquillas are the perfect substitution. Baked, they have the flavor and texture needed for the soup.
Just a note: Many cooks don´t use eggs in this recipe, but keep in mind that eggs give body and texture to the soup. You can leave them out of the recipe if you want, but make sure to use enough masa to make the soup slightly thick, otherwise it will be watery and unappealing. This is a rustic dish, and I think its charm lies exactly in that simplicity and the basic ingredients used for its preparation.
- 2 cups tortilla flour
- 1 1/2 cups grated dried cheese (you could use Parmigiano)
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon achiote, ground (optional)
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups vegetable oil
- 1 white onion, chopped
- 1/2 red or green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cups milk
- 1 vegetable bouillon cube