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Torresmos prensados

PostPosted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 9:12 pm
by Swing Swang
In Portugal pork skin is chopped, rendered and pressed to make a solid block of scrummy skin and meaty bits called torresmos (actually there are a variety of types of torresmos, the type I am describing are sometimes known as torresmos prensados to differentiate them fro the loose and crunchy ones that are similar to pork scratchings). The final block of torresmos is anything from 'hard' to 'rock hard' and thin slices are shaved off the block with a knife and eaten with bread, or just on their own as you would salami.

Anyway I came across this video that shows how they are done - it's in Brazillian Portuguese, but the pictures will probably show you all you need to know.

The fat is likely to contaminate a wooden cider press, but a stainless press for heather honey would work quite well...

http://www.obagastronomia.com.br/torres ... a-da-roca/

Re: Torresmos prensados

PostPosted: Sat Jul 25, 2015 12:26 am
by wheels
Wow, that's a very different thing to pork scratchings.

Phil

Re: Torresmos prensados

PostPosted: Sat Jul 25, 2015 6:11 am
by Swing Swang
wheels wrote:Wow, that's a very different thing to pork scratchings.

Phil


Indeed - readily available at modest cost, vacuum packed, in a variety of weights form any Portuguese supermarket and from most butchers too. You could probably get it from specialist Portuguese delicatessens in the UK, but expect to pay much more. Freezes very well too with no noticeable change to taste or texture.

Re: Torresmos prensados

PostPosted: Wed Jul 29, 2015 3:17 pm
by divani
It is also made in Italy, where it is called ciccioli.

Re: Torresmos prensados

PostPosted: Thu Jul 30, 2015 5:22 am
by Swing Swang
Thanks for that Divani

Re: Torresmos prensados

PostPosted: Thu Jul 30, 2015 7:37 am
by DanMcG
Thanks for sharing the video, here's the Italian version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WK8mkA7_mM

Re: Torresmos prensados

PostPosted: Thu Jul 30, 2015 6:54 pm
by divani
That is a great video, DanMcG!

Those, however, are not the pressed ones, which are basically the same, only pressed for a longer time, and look like this:

https://maurito54.files.wordpress.com/2 ... .jpg?w=510