Torta is probably one of the most versatile viands that you can ever cook for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. Change the ingredients, add flour, bind with beaten eggs, form into patties, coat with breadcrumbs (or not!), fry in hot oil until golden, and you’ve got a delicious meal with hot, steaming rice.
With this prep and cooking technique, you can make Tortang Talong, Tortang Giniling, Tortang Gulay, Beef Torta, and, yes, Tortang Alamang as well. There are endless possibilities.
This is why Mama Sita’s marketing executive and weekend kitchen warrior Ces Nepomuceno-Gamad loves making different kinds of torta.
‘Not only does it stretch your proteins or vegetables, but it’s also a great way to make a simple egg dish much more satisfying,’ she said.
‘In general, Torta needs about five to six eggs for every cup of filling, whether that’s alamang, vegetables (like talong), meat or combination, it can be adjusted with more eggs or additional starch as needed to make the torta firmer as desired,” she added.
She shares her recipe of Tortang Alamang, which she loves to make when she finds really fresh alamang (tiny shrimps or krill) in the market.
Tortang Alamang
Ingredients:
6 medium eggs
2 tbsps. cornstarch or all-purpose flour
Some chopped spring onion
1 cup fresh alamang
Ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup cooking oil for frying
Procedure:
1. Beat eggs in a bowl.
2. Mix in flour or cornstarch, chopped spring onion, and fresh alamang. Season with ground black pepper. Note: There is no need to add salt since alamang is already naturally salty.
3. Heat oil in a kawali (wok or pan) over medium heat. Ladle a scoop of the torta mixture into the hot oil, form into a patty, and fry until the edges are golden and crispy. Flip and fry the other side until cooked through.
4. Remove patties from oil and drain off excess oil on paper towels.
5. Serve hot with spiced vinegar.
Yield: 6 pcs. small tortas