Fried milk - Leche frito

LECHE FRITO is simply a very thick custard, breadcrumbed and fried. It, and its close cousin the flan, is to the children of Spain as rice pudding is to the children of Britain.

Serves four Start an hour ahead Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

n 1 pint/ 600ml milk

n 1 oz/ 25g butter

n 4 tablespoons flour

n 2 tablespoons sugar

n 3 egg yolks To finish:

n 1 whole egg

n 2 tablespoons milk

n 4 oz/ 100g breadcrumbs

n oil for frying

n sugar and powdered cinnamon

Utensils: n a liquidiser, whisk, saucepan and shallow dish n 2 plates and a frying pan

Method: n Put all the ingredients except those needed for the finishing in the liquidiser and process thoroughly. The butter will make the mix seem somewhat lumpy, but no matter – it melts down. n Heat the mixture gently in a saucepan over a low heat. Keep whisking and stirring so that it doesn’t stick. n Just as it comes to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer until the mixture is thick and no longer tastes of raw flour. Pour it into a lightly oiled dish in a layer about ½ inch or 1cm thick. Let it cool and cut it into 2-in/ 5-cm squares. n Beat the egg in a plate with two tablespoons milk. Spread the breadcrumbs on another plate. n Dip the squares in the egg and milk to coat them. Press them in the breadcrumbs. n Heat a finger’s width of oil in a heavy frying pan. When it is hazed with blue, carefully fry the squares, a few at a time, turning once. n Drain them on kitchen paper. Arrange them on a warm plate, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, and then serve immediately. gently all over