Alfajor Campesino
The term alfajor generally refers to all pastries composed of two cookies sandwiched with a filling or a cooked filled dough. This type of pastry that varies according to the region and countries in which it is prepared, is common in Spain and particularly in South America. In particular, in Chile they prepare traditional versions for important occasions or for community celebrations.
Alfajor campesino or farmer’s alfajor, is made following age-old recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation. It is traditionally offered to the farmers working in the fields for breakfast and after lunch. In the coastal area to the north of Bio Bio it was offered as a welcome dish to farmers working in the area.
In the traditional version of the farmer’s alfajor, two cookies are sandwiched with a soft and sweet mix. The biscuits are made with raw wheat flour, eggs, vegetable oil and natural yeast, whilst the dough, called pavito, is more complex. The wheat is cooked, left to dry on the ground and then toasted in a pan (quechua callana) placed directly on the flames. It is then ground and mixed with lukewarm water, an infusion of orange, beetroot sugar, cane sugar, cloves, cinnamon and pieces of orange rind, until a rather thick dough is formed.
The sweet is now only served at celebrations as the recipe is known only by a few farmers in the Bio Bio region and others who come into contact with the rural population. It is at risk of disappearing entirely for this reason.
