The flaons come from the Iberian Peninsula and neighboring regions.
Pronounced “FLAY-awns” with an emphasis on the first syllable, flaons are filled pastries usually made with cheese inside. These cakes originate from several countries in southwestern Europe, called the Iberian Peninsula, and some surrounding regions. They can be sweet or savory and come in a variety of formats from single servings to large enough to feed a family. Most pancakes are handmade breads for one person to eat, but some pancakes are larger, cake-shaped, and sliced and served to multiple people. The unique name of each bakery is flaó.
The flakes are popular on the Spanish island of Ibiza.
This dish started out as a meal made for Easter celebrations, but has become a popular meal throughout the year. In addition to differentiating the shape of this dough, each region that serves it has a traditional local filling, which usually includes a popular cheese from the region, usually locally produced. The types of cheese used in these pies are quite varied and include soft cheeses such as cottage cheese and goat cheese, as well as various hard and aged cheeses. The sweet, soft cheese versions of this crust are sometimes compared to cheesecake.
Although most chips are filled with some type of cheese, by definition they do not need to be filled with any cheese. Some of these cakes are filled with jam or honey. Sweet versions of this dough are sometimes dusted with sugar or drizzled with honey.
These cakes have different shapes in the different regions of the Iberian Peninsula where they are usually prepared. They can be made into individual servings that come in the form of small buns, or they can be made into patties that are sliced and served. Jars that serve multiple people are often called large jars.
Some large flaons are covered with a top crust, like a traditional pie, while others have just the bottom crust. Pies without a top crust are often called flaon pies. Like other cakes, flaon cakes are sometimes topped with sliced fruit. Small sandwich-sized flaons are called flaonets.
The Iberian Peninsula, sometimes called Iberia, is an area of southwestern Europe that includes countries such as Spain, Portugal, and Andorra. This paste, a version of sweet cheese flavored with orange juice and fennel, is very popular on a Spanish island called Ibiza, a city known for its tourism and nightlife. Ibiza is one of the four Mediterranean islands known as the Balearic Islands.