Tequeños

Tequeños are strips of soft white cheese wrapped in pastry dough and deep-fried, a snack from Venezuela. They are sold as finger food and are a common choice for parties, gatherings and bars, where they are often eaten hot straight from the fryer.

What it really is

Soft white cheese is cut into thin sticks, each one wrapped in a thin sheet of wheat-flour dough, sealed along the edges, and deep-fried until the pastry is golden and crisp. The dough is simple, made from wheat flour, egg and salt, so the cheese is the filling that guests notice. The cheese softens as it heats, and the edges must be sealed well or the filling will leak into the oil.

Because the cheese is the centre of the dish, its quality and the way it is wrapped decide how the tequeño turns out. A well-sealed strip stays whole and shows a soft, stretchy filling when bitten.

How it's served

• Hot from the fryer, in small finger-length pieces.
• Several to a plate, eaten by hand as a snack or party food.
• Often with a dipping sauce on the side, such as guasacaca, an avocado-based Venezuelan sauce.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the filling as cheese, using "soft white cheese", and state how many pieces come in an order.
• Flag wheat in the dough, eggs, and milk from the cheese, and declare all three on the menu.
• Say whether the dough is made in house and what sauce comes with it, and mark any sauce as a separate item.
• State whether the pieces are fried in a fryer shared with other products, since this matters for guests with allergies.