There is a graded system in Yoga for spiritual growth. The founder of this system was Patanjali. Yoga Patanjali is a practice of self-realization based on working with consciousness and inner energy. The essence of the practice is built on eight steps, they consist of: Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi. An important tool towards the movement of the goal of self-realization (knowledge of one's purpose, tasks) is the ethical and moral basis of Yama - Niyama.

Niyama - external and internal cleansing through self-discipline or individual rules of behavior, disciplining the practitioner are: Saucha (purity), Santosha (contentment), Tapas (severity, asceticism, self-restraint), Swadhyaya (self-education, introspection), Ishvara Pranidhana (faith in God) ...

Yoga as an activity consists of Tapas (severity, asceticism, self-restraint), Svadhyaya (self-education, introspection), Ishvara Pranidhana (faith in God, the dedication of all one's actions, words and thoughts to the Highest Goal). Tapas burns up impurity and makes the body strong.

The word "tapas" (tapas) comes from the root meaning "to heat", "glow", that is, it means zeal and fullness of effort. Sometimes it is seen as a cleansing action because it removes impurity. This concept refers primarily to the body, and means proper care for it. As a result of the elimination of impurity through selfless devotion, perfection of the body and sense organs is attained. Yoga uses tapas as part of Kriya Yoga and Niyama. Patanjali emphasizes that only spiritual heat (tapas) can burn away the impurities of the psyche. This is a completely different level of tapas than attaining magical powers or king status. There is no need for long asceticism. Tapas, performed daily as a component of niyama, together with purity and contentment, changes the state of the psyche, making it less polluted. The practitioner is cleansed of worldly defilements, accumulates merit, increasing the supply of spiritual energy. Yoga understands this as taking care of the body in which it does not disturb the mind during meditation.

Sometimes "tapas" is translated as "asceticism" - the idea of ​​extreme asceticism is also far from the teachings of Patanjali. After several years of severe asceticism, Buddha Shakyamuni abandoned it and began to preach the middle path (madhyama marga) with moderate self-restraint and high morality. The term tapas in Buddhism means self-discipline. The practice of tapas looks like a regularity and a natural increase in skill.

All higher things happen only as a result of tapas. If you indulge yourself, soften in spirit, the level immediately goes down.

The practice of yoga is always tapas and challenging one's abilities, it is kindling an inner fire. Being a human being is not difficult for a yogi. In human society, a yogi is one who can live very well, without any problems; it costs him nothing to solve the problems of an ordinary average person. An ordinary person in most cases solves the problems of the material world: how to provide for his family, buy housing, career growth, building relationships with relatives, friends, bosses at work. But these tasks are not as great as how to succeed. The pinnacle of many people is to achieve success, such as making a lot of money, becoming a successful, influential person. It is very difficult for an ordinary person to be, in fact, a yogi. He cannot know the essence until he hardens his iron will and pacifies the ego. Spiritual practice demands more from him. It is daily tapas and self-discipline.

To achieve this state, you need to constantly train yourself, you need to fight for it, challenge yourself and constantly win. The base part should never win. Victory should be yours. Why is it not possible in the beginning? Many worldly desires, narrow and clogged channels, many restrictions, defilements and old information, very weak will - no good. If the will is weak, detachment is a feat: “I renounced Pepsi-Cola, I don't drink for a month. I have been observing brahmacharya for two weeks and I do not eat meat, ”but this is ridiculous. This is not a problem for a yogi.

From weak will we go to educated will, to yogic will. The best way is to combine tapas with other niyama or asanas. Overcoming reluctance every day, the will is trained. Just as an ordinary muscle is pumped up through daily training, so daily overcoming oneself “builds up” willpower. Our will grows stronger, pollution weakens. We find that we easily get rid of habits that took effort to fight (for example, smoking, wanting to sleep longer, eating delicious food, etc.). If tapas is practiced daily for several years, the results will surpass all expectations. Your own body will also obey you. Your body and senses will become incredibly "responsive" to your orders. This is what is meant when we speak of "the perfection of the body and the senses."

There are three types of tapas: physical, oral and mental.

Physical tapas

Brahmacharya, service to the Guru and sages, the practice of Ahimsa or nonviolence are all Tapas of the body. By the power of Brahmacharya, Bhishma and Hanuman performed wonderful deeds. With the power of chastity, Damayanti burned the hunter; Anasuya turned Trimurti into children; Savitri brought Satyavan back from God Yama. The power of Brahmacharya is more powerful than the power of physical Tapas.

Oral tapas

Speaking the truth, keeping a vow of silence, not harming others with unkind or harsh words, speaking useful words, studying the scriptures - these are all Tapas of speech. Balance, mental restraint (shama), purity of nature, one-pointedness of the mind, mental happiness, cheerfulness, purity of life are all Tapas of the mind.

Mental tapas

Mental tapas is more powerful than physical tapas. One who tolerates heat and cold performs physical tapas.

He increases his stamina strength, but he may be unable to endure abuse. He is easily upset by a rude or unkind word. He can take revenge or punish on the principle of "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth." He does not control the mind. He only disciplined his physical body. Maintaining a balance of mind in all situations of life, enduring insults, harm, persecution, being always serene, content and calm, being cheerful in adverse conditions, having courage when faced with danger, having the presence of reason and restraint are all forms of mental tapas.

From a philosophical point of view, meditation is the highest form of Tapas. Fixing the wandering mind on God or Brahman is a great Tapas. Vicara and Nididhyasana are the highest Tapas. Research "Who am I?" there is a superior Tapas. Pratyahara, Pranayama, Dharana and Samadhi are the great Tapas.

The Upanishads consider tapas, along with brahmacharya, as a virtue that generates great strength. The traditional philosophy of India claims that anything can be achieved with tapas, up to dominion over the whole world. For this purpose, Indian ascetics (tapasiks) undertook self-torture, for example, they stood among four bonfires located on the cardinal points, in an open place, so that the scorching rays of the sun acted as the fifth fire. Another type of tapas is the vow to stand on one toes, etc. Tapasik does not seek to appease God or gods, on the contrary, gods often try to interfere with tapas in one way or another. The mechanism of action of tapas is based on the law of karma, which affirms the balance of causes and effects. In accordance with this law, the torment endured by the ascetic must be compensated for by an equal amount of happiness.

Let's go back to tapas.

This is a kind of capital accumulated by asceticism, but it is capital as such. It can be used both to achieve power, wealth and magical power, and to purify your psyche. This capital can be accumulated, transferred to another. Tapas is closely related to the concept of heat, heat, heat. But this is psychic fire, spiritual heat. The texts have a synonym - tejas, glow, brilliance, splendor. This is one of the main creative forces, especially the sexual one. The intensity of this flame, accompanied by various self-torture, the development of will, the sublimation of all forces into the divine creative fire, into the light that cuts through the darkness of ignorance - that's what tapas is.

Mythology is full of examples where someone would impose harsh tapas on themselves in order to achieve power. Having achieved what they wanted, such people stopped tapas and began to spend the accumulated. There are demons in mythology who have achieved incredible power in a similar way.

By starting tapas, the student gains power. His will develops, spiritual capital accumulates. If he does not stop tapas, then this capital, in exact correspondence with the finance capital, "begins to earn interest." He does not waste his strength, but uses it to achieve even greater power. Interest is not spent, but is invested all the time in achieving the goal. Finally, such a student becomes a spiritual “billionaire”. He accumulates as much strength as an ordinary person would accumulate if he stood on one leg for a thousand years. Tapas is the heat of passions that people spend in vain with gluttony, lust, and so on and so on .... The ascetic does not spend this heat and, as a result, accumulates a large amount of heat, which is taken into account at the new birth.

Holiness will come if you improve yourself morally, physically, intellectually, aesthetically (feelings). These 4 will give rise to spiritual development - dharana and dhyana. Or the practice of 5 yogas. In Raja Yoga as a holistic teaching, one can distinguish bhakti - love, devotion, hatha - physical improvement, hygiene, tempering, jnana - the study of scriptures, the development of wisdom, self-teaching, karma - writing off sins through activities, serving people with their talents, abilities, experience. And buddhi yoga is a meditative practice.

Tapas is the third anga of niyama in raja yoga.
Tapas is one of the three points of Kriya Yoga.
Tapas means austerity, or the practice of penance.
Tapas is a diamond like a blazing fire.
Tapas also means control of the senses and meditation.
Tapas leads to control of the mind.
Tapas is austerity, sense control and meditation. Purify yourself with tapas and you will reach the ultimate goal.

Narada became a brahmarishi, Bhagiratha brought the Ganges from heaven, Gautama persuaded Godavari to pour out on the earth, Valmiki realized the power of Ramamantra, which gave him the opportunity to compose the Ramayana, Gargi became entrenched in brahmacarya and Sulabha, only in this spiritual wisdom. And why give such limited examples? Through tapas, even Brahma and Rudra became man's helpers.

Oddly enough, tapas is a natural thing, although perhaps for some this thought will seem somewhat unusual, but, in fact, tapas is not something through which something is achieved that is far from us, but, rather, tapas is a return to one's true self. Look through the yogic texts, it says that you do not need to swim in cold water, you do not need to warm yourself by the fire, food should not be bitter or sweet, you need to avoid working "in the sweat of your brow", etc. How is this all to be understood? - Stay in the middle. When the sattva of the body dominates and the body has a more natural exchange of energies, then it emits heat and light, which is achieved by restraining its extremes. This is discipline, and tapas also refers to it as an aspect of niyama. Perhaps not everything is listed in the texts, but the most important thing is to understand the main approach.

Through discipline or positive practice, we assert in ourselves the truth of the most valuable, the truth of being, the truth of knowledge, love, works, and we replace with this the delusions that have grown too quickly, have drowned out and perverted our nature. Observing the principles of Yama-Niyama in worldly life, following the correct daily routine, working selflessly for the good of others, caring for loved ones, you will eventually feel that strength of mind that a person is endowed with, full of inner fire of aspiration. Only after reaching the purification of the psyche by the way outlined above will it be possible to further advance along the "royal path" - Yoga!

Any national cuisine, in addition to complex, sophisticated and time-consuming and costly recipes, should have its own quick, easy and very tasty dishes for a “snack”. The tradition of consumption is very popular in Spain tapas (tapas, from the word tapa - lid) - this is the name of any snack served in a bar with beer or wine.

Tapas(tapas) - these small, but very varied and hearty dishes are suitable for a quick snack, and for lunch, anticipating the main meal, and for evening gatherings with friends in bars. Tapas are prepared from literally everything: meat, fish, seafood, cheeses, vegetables, dried fruits, bread ... They are very easy to cook yourself, you just need to connect your gastronomic imagination.

The most massive and popular gastronomic competitions-festivals, which are regularly held in every municipality “De Tapas por Valencia” (por Barselona, ​​por Madrid, etc.), are dedicated to tapas. Tiny cafes, the size of one bar, and respectable establishments of Spanish gastronomy, where the chef personally invents the appetizer, coming up with a name and design, take part in tapas festivals.

The history of tapas is overgrown with numerous stories, as befits a popular folk dish. It is said that the Spanish king Alfonso X ( Alfonso x el sabio), who got the nickname Wise for a reason, ordered to serve wine to his soldiers with obligatory food in taverns - so that they would not get too drunk. However, the innkeepers outdid the ingenuity of their wise master: they cut down on the gastronomic “quitrent”, serving mugs with the amount of snacks that could fit on top.

Another version is the most plausible. In hot Spanish taverns, which were always full of gnats, customers were servedjugs of wine ( jarradevino) , hastily covered from insects with slices of bread(pan) , ham(jam ón) or some other product(queso) ... Over time, these free edible lids ( tapas) were replaced by dishes of the same name, with a variety of foods, which turned into an independent type of Spanish cuisine.
Today tapas have lost their strict meaning and original appearance. It can be a classic scattering of olives and olives, and a traditional local omelet with potatoes and spinach, and many other delicious dishes. In almost all bars in urban areas of any Spanish city, customers are greeted with some kind of signature snack along with a glass of beer.(cervesa ) .

Tapas in Spain can be eaten at almost any time of the day. Many bars and restaurants serve free tapas when ordering a drink (wine or beer).If you find yourself in Spain, then your Spanish friends, first of all, will definitely invite you to one of the tapas bars!- special establishments with only tapas or pintxos on the menu. The Spaniards even denote this action with a special verb - tapear.

IN this song by The Combolinga called “De tapas» , the mainSpanish tapas, and you can see them with your own eyes and learn the names.

A small excursion, we suggest you taste a little ( picar) of these famous tapas that make up the glory of Spanish gastronomy.

. Artichokes with anchovies (Alcachofas con anchoa)
Delicate artichoke hearts ( alcachofa) - a product of the harvest of local valleys, - symbolically combined with seafood - anchovies (... Fish fillet, salted and flavored with lemon juice and "one sneeze" of hot black pepper, can cheer you up with its flavor range and - of course - almost complete lack of calories. The appetizer is served cold, the ingredients are held together with a wooden skewer, and a glorious pint of beer goes with them.

. "Matrimonios" - "Marriage" ("Matrimonio Anchoa y Boquerón")

This is not the case when a good deed is not called marriage. This is a harmonious unity of salted anchovy with pickled - bokeron ( boquerón). The rest of the details of the dish only give it a tonality and can vary. But usually matrimonios is accompanied by cheese or red baked peppers. The peak of popularity of the snack is in the summer. What is very important to know if you are expecting this appetizer at the bar: you can be brought any option, but the salted fish should be marinated on top, and nothing else. Tapa de Boquerón + anchoa = matrimonio .

. Mussels (Mejillones)

Seafood is what makes simple and natural hot and cold dishes alike. And among them, mussels are the basis of the basics, they are in demand always and everywhere, and the consumption of these mollusks increases from year to year. The most effective way of cooking is to steam them or boil them in boiling water with lemon, after having thoroughly cleaned the shells of the shells, of course. Mussels are served in one of the halves of their shell. In bars and restaurants, you can order mussels either in an individual clay pot, steamed, or on a wide plate for the whole company. This is one of those rare dishes that, at an inexpensive cost, are distinguished by the highest quality of the product and its delicious taste.

. Octopus (Pulpo)

A popular treat for coastal residents. Boiled or baked, it serves as a base for snacks on offer in almost every bar along the coast. Tapas is served as octopus slices on a wooden round board ( pulpo a la gallega) and accompanied by an amazing aroma, as the octopus is usually cooked in the oven, flavored with garlic, parsley and olive oil. Chopped octopus - Salpicón de pulpo.

. Baked Potatoes (Patatas Asadas)

Potatoes are a culinary "magic wand" that can save any hopeless situation: it can be a side dish, an independent dish and a hot tapas. The easiest and at the same time popular way to prepare a potato snack is to bake halves of a potato with a little oil, salt and pepper. A slightly more complicated option involves the inclusion of garlic, mayonnaise or Brava sauce and frying the potato squares. Brava potatoes and, especially, fries are popular with young people - they are fast, tasty and satisfying.

. "Horse" or "Shrimp in a coat" ("El Сaballito" o "La Gamba con gabardina")

The literal name for a favorite Spanish appetizer that appears on the menu of almost all coastal bars and restaurants: peeled shrimp is breaded in flour or dipped in batter and deep-fried. The secret to the success of this tapas is the perfect freshness of the seafood and excellent frying oil. It is usually served with cold foamy beer.

. Stuffed Peppers (Pimientos rellenos)

For this appetizer, the famous Spanish pepper variety is used - del Piquillo ( del Piquillo). It grows in a certain zone of the country - Lodos (Navarra) and is protected by a trademark as a national product. The filling can be of any kind, but the most popular is cod, which gives the tapas a marine motif, which, in combination with the slightly sweet vegetable taste of "cheholchik", makes the dish fresh, juicy and stimulating the appetite.

. Grape snails with tomato sauce (Caracoles en salsa de tomate)

A dish that leaves no one indifferent. Local vegetables and herbs are used for the sauce: tomatoes, paprika, bell peppers, onions, garlic, almonds, mint leaves and some other ingredients, depending on the area and taste preferences. Boiled snails are dipped into the prepared sauce, then added there: a glass of brandy, a little water and vinegar. All together simmer on the fire for another 20 minutes, to obtain a special aroma and taste. It is brought to the table like home - in a peasant clay plate. Snail tapas are more common in the interior of Spain, but can also be found on the coast.

. Roasted almonds (Almendras fritas)
A very simple, very popular and delicious snack. Marcona nuts are a must-have for beer in all Spanish bars.

. Russian salad (Ensaladilla rusa)
This is an invention of Spanish chefs who are convinced that such a salad is typically Russian. The "Ruso" appetizer salad is recognized by the inhabitants of the Iberian peninsula as the main number of tapas revue - for its democratic use, simplicity of execution and excellent taste. "Russian salad" in Spanish looks like this: boiled eggs and potatoes, tuna, olives - as a base. Everything is filled with mayonnaise. Serves as an addition: red bell peppers, peas, asparagus beans or pickled cucumbers with carrots.
However, these metamorphoses simply indicate that a new dish was born, albeit with echoes of old recipes.

. Seafood salad (Ensalada de mariscos)

Yes, it can also be tapas. Low-calorie, with a pleasant flavor variety, the appetizer has no strict recipes and, moreover, no geographic reference. In each region of Spain, ingredients are used that are most suitable for the gastronomic map of the area and for the season. However, the name speaks for itself: shrimp, lobster, crab sticks with cubes of boiled potatoes and fresh vegetables (tomato slices, carrots with shavings, leafy salad greens) are the basic ingredients of the snack.
Mayonnaise binds all the components of the salad into a total mass. Sometimes a lighter sauce is used - based on yogurt, a few drops of lemon juice, aromatic herbs. The dish, despite the contrasting components, symbolizes the harmony of the coastal cuisine - the unity of the generous sea and fertile valleys.

Another popular type of snack in Spain is pintxos (pinchos, from the verb pinchar- prick). These little sandwiches on skewers ( palillos) - the invention of the Basques, San Sebastian is considered their homeland. In special pintxos bars, you go to the bar ( barra), where there are plates with a variety of sandwiches and snacks, and take whichever you like best. And then the waiter, by the number of remaining sticks, will find out how much you have eaten and will issue you an invoice. Skewers come in different lengths, depending on the price of the pintxos.

Andalusia is considered the birthplace of tapas, in the following video you can take a walk through Spanish bars - Tapear en Granada, trytapas and replenish your vocabulary on this topic.

Some rules (or lack thereof) of visiting tapas bars:

1. At the entrance to the bar, a list of tapas is usually written on a blackboard in chalk with the price next to it. If the dishes are under glass, then you can show with your finger what you want to take. Is free (gratis ) and now they serve tapas, but not everywhere and not all. Most often in Granada and small towns ( pueblos) can be served to a client who has already drunk enough beer / wine or just to a good friend, because he often comes in. Or because the owner liked you personally. There are no clear rules.

2. Although it is customary to consume tapas with beer (more often) or wine, you can skip this and order only tapas, without drinking.

3. You can order tapas and soft drinks and it won't look ridiculous. The concept of "ridiculous" does not exist in Spain. Here democracy (in Spanish) = everyone does what he wants.

4. You can take tapas with your hands (if it is, for example, pieces of cheese or small sandwiches) or use the devices - you can do as you like, forget about the complexes, without fear of being misunderstood.

5. Eating tapas at the bar will cost less than eating at the table. And on the street you will be more expensive, because the waiter will have to walk more.

6. Often, when describing a tapas bar, the average price of tapas is indicated, for example, 1.5-4 euros - the lowest price for a tapa (saucer), and a large one for a portion (saucer).

¡ que(te,le)aproveche! - Bon Appetit!

Kitchens. In fact, this is an appetizer that is prepared from a wide variety of ingredients. Moreover, it is customary to call any food that is suitable for a small buffet table or friendly gatherings. So, we bring to your attention several options for cooking such a dish as tapas (recipes with photos in abundance can be found on the pages of electronic culinary magazines). By offering your friends such an original dish as an appetizer - cold or hot - you will certainly earn sincere praise and gratitude from others. Said Spanish tapas are made with different ingredients so that everyone can choose what they like!

Cooking tapas: option number 1

Required Ingredients:

• 2 cloves of garlic;
• 5-6 dry sherry;
• 0.5 kg of mushrooms;
• freshly squeezed lemon juice;
• 3 dessert spoons of pine nuts;
• 6-7 teaspoons of olive oil
• 4-5 sprigs of herbs (parsley, for example);
• pepper, spices and salt to taste.

Cooking process

Wash the mushrooms thoroughly and cut them into large pieces. Then we wash the greens and tear off the leaves from it. You also need to peel and chop the garlic finely. Fry the garlic in a preheated pan with olive oil for about 3 minutes. Then add nuts with chopped mushrooms to it and fill the mixture with sherry. You need to cook this dish until the liquid evaporates. Then add salt, spices, lemon juice and pepper to your liking. It is best to spread the appetizer on pre-toasted toast, garnished with green leaves. This tapas is a great option.

Ingredients for the second tapas variation:

• 9-11 small dried chili peppers
• 500 grams of peanuts;
• 2-3 cloves of garlic;
• 2 dessert spoons of olive oil;
• a spoonful of salt.

Cooking process

Put the chili peppers in the mortar and crush them. Then peel the garlic and chop finely. It is best to use a garlic. Then put the crushed peppers in a pan, add garlic, fry in olive oil for about two minutes. After that, peanuts are added to the products and fried until golden brown. Then, after frying, this mixture is laid out on plates and sprinkled with salt. This tapas is a great option with beer.

Tapas is that easy! Recipe number 3

Required Ingredients:

• 250-300 grams of sheep cheese;
• 0.5 kilograms of ham;
• 3 hard boiled eggs;
• 50-70 grams of walnuts.

Cooking process

Grate on a coarse grater, chop the nuts finely, and chop the boiled eggs. Then stir the resulting mixture. Then take the ham and cut into thin slices. Spread each piece with the resulting mixture. Roll up into a mini roll and pierce with a skewer. This tapas is a great option for any buffet table!

It should be noted that there are a lot of options for traditional Spanish snacks. You can use almost any food you will find in your refrigerator. Place a variety of snacks on each plate, add matching drinks and have a sunny country party. Because all Spanish cuisine, directly or indirectly related to appetizers, can be called tapas. And this name, in turn, symbolizes Spain.

Tapas are various small but very hearty dishes that are suitable for a quick bite to eat or for a snack during lunch or a party with friends in a bar or at home. Tapas are made from everything: vegetables, cheese, fish, bread, meat, and so on. The main thing is that the snacks are of such a size that they can immediately fit into the mouth.

History of appearance

Tapas did not appear immediately in Spanish cuisine. The people of Spain love to tell legends about the origin of this dish. For example, that the peasants supported their strength with wine and cheese or corned beef during their work, or that one day some innkeeper came across an unsuccessful batch of wine, and he decided to hide its taste by serving him free cheese and sausage. There are many options, but the most popular and most plausible among them are two.

According to one version, the tradition of such snacks was started by King Alfonso X, when doctors prescribed him several glasses of wine a day to maintain his health. In order not to get drunk and keep a clear head, the king seized wine with a small amount of food. Subsequently, he issued a decree ordering the innkeepers to serve wine only accompanied by a certain amount of food, so that the people, especially the soldiers of his royal majesty, would not get drunk. Of course, the innkeepers did not like the fact that they were imposed such a gastronomic tax, so they contrived and began to serve as much food as could fit on a mug.

According to another version, another king, Alfonso XIII, had a hand in the creation of tapas, who somehow went into a tavern and asked for wine. The day was hot, dust hung in the air and clouds of insects were frolicking. To avoid unauthorized items in the wine, the king's glass was covered with a slice of ham. The king liked this setting: you can immediately have a drink and a snack, and he made it a tradition. “Tapa” is Spanish for “cover”. Since then, wine jugs in taverns have been served covered with slices of ham, bread, cheese, etc. Over time, edible lids were replaced by regular plates, but the tradition of serving drinks along with snacks has survived. Appetizers have been transformed into a separate dish. Now it can be olives, small sandwiches with different fillings, paella, tortilla, cheese, vegetables, mushrooms and so on.

Tapas atmosphere

Thus, a new meaning has appeared in the Spanish dictionary for "tapas" - a light snack, which is served with wine or beer. Tapas have become very popular in Spain, moreover, they have become a symbol of Spanish cuisine. Residents of sunny Spain love gathering in a bar with family and friends with drinks and a variety of tapas: portions are easy to share among themselves. The atmosphere in tapas bars is always very cheerful, friendly and relaxed: what a tired person needs after a working day. Each bar tries to stand out from the rest and serves its own set of tapas.

The attitude towards tapas in Spain is so serious that they regularly hold festivals and competitions dedicated to appetizers. All establishments take part in the competition, from the smallest cafes with two tables and a bar, to serious restaurants, where an eminent chef conjures up the tapas menu, inventing more and more new combinations for snacks.

Types of tapas:

Hot or cold tapas are a variety of dishes served in small portions on small clay plates.

Montaditos are small closed sandwiches with a filling, the filling can be very varied.

Pichos - a slice of bread, with cheese, fruits, vegetables, meat, fish and other snacks, impaled on skewers.

In Spain, tapas can be obtained at any time of the day; in many establishments, snacks are served free of charge with wine or beer.

Tapas are a variety of hot and cold snacks. But for the Spaniards, it's not just food, it's a lifestyle. In Spanish, there is even a verb tapear - it translates as "going to bars, chatting with friends and acquaintances, drinking wine and eating tapas."
No one knows exactly when and how this tradition originated, but there are several versions. According to one of them, the king of Castile and León Alfonso X the Wise (1221-1284) issued a law according to which innkeepers were ordered to serve strong drinks only accompanied by snacks: visitors who were drunk on an empty stomach lost their decent appearance and posed a certain threat to themselves and those around them. ... Dishes with such snacks were brought directly on top of mugs of beer or wine. Hence the name: tapas in Spanish means "lids". Until recently, tapas were served free of charge in Spanish bars, but now more and more often they have to be ordered separately.
Any cuts will act as tapas, the classic version is jamon or chorizo, pickled or grilled vegetables, fried or pickled mushrooms, potato or rice balls, fried squid or mussels. And, of course, an endless string of tartlets and mini-sandwiches with sauces, pâtés, tuna and egg, grated pepper and tomato with onions and garlic, grated cheeses with mayonnaise, fried eggs on a large round piece of tomato, sardines and anchovies with celery and lettuce , pieces of chicken or meat in wine sauce, all kinds of salads, seafood in various sauces, small potatoes in aromatic herbs.
I offer you two snacks: Coca - traditional caramelized crispbreads, and Empanadillas - fried cakes. The basis of these snacks is the same - the dough.

Preparation:

By and large, any dough can be used: puff, "filo", yeast, with the addition of pork fat ...
I suggest wine dough with olive oil.
Mix the sifted flour with baking powder and salt. Add wine and olive oil gradually.
Knead the dough quickly and set aside for an hour.

In the meantime, prepare butter for Coca - mix chopped garlic, parsley and paprika with olive oil. Let it brew for 30 minutes.

For the filling of the empanadillas, finely chop the onion and garlic. Saute in olive oil until transparent.

Add diced pepper and tomato. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Add tuna and diced egg. Stir, add parsley. Remove from heat, cool.

The dough was infused, became soft and elastic.
Roll out the dough 6-7 mm thick. Cut out the circles, brush them with olive oil.
Lay them out on a sheet of parchment.

Cut the tomatoes into slices at least 5mm thick and cover the dough with them. Sprinkle with salt and sugar.
Brush with spicy oil.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180 * C for 30 minutes.

Cool the finished coca and arrange it to your liking. Fillers - anchovies, cheese, sausage, eggs, tuna ...

Coca comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. The Spaniards call these pies the sister of pizza ...

For empanadillas, roll out the dough into a layer, cut out circles 10-12 cm in diameter.
Put a spoonful of the filling in the center, mold the edges and press them with a fork.
Fry empanadillas in hot vegetable oil (this is how they differ from baked empanadas).

These pies are both warm and hot.

The dough resembles puff - crumbly and tasty.

Help yourself!
Buen provecho!