Flaó Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Flaó
Flaons de Morella with a filling of cottage cheese (brull)
Type	Cheesecake/Pie
Region or state	Catalan-speaking regions, Spain
Main ingredients	Cheese, sugar or honey, jam, dough

Flaó (say "flah-OH") is a yummy cheesecake or tart from Spain. It's very popular in areas where people speak Catalan. Places like Majorca, Ibiza, and Formentera all say Flaó is their special treat! Long ago, people in Menorca ate Flaó mostly during Easter. But now, you can find it all year round.

Flaó can be different depending on where you are. Some are crescent-shaped pies filled with jam and honey. Others have a cheese filling. In the past, people used honey to make sweet flaons. Today, most sweet flaons use sugar. We know these cakes have been around for a long time. The first time Flaó was written about was in 1252. It was also mentioned in a book called Blanquerna by Ramon Llull in 1283.

Different Kinds of Flaó
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Different Kinds of Flaó

Flaó from Alt Maestrat

In the Alt Maestrat and Ports areas, Flaó looks like a half-moon. It's filled with a mix of local cottage cheese (called brull) and ground almonds. They also add a bit of special alcohol called aiguardent and a sweet wine called mistela for flavor. The flaons from Morella are very famous and a symbol of that old city. A typical Morella flaó is about 12 centimeters long.

Flaó from Ibiza and Formentera

The flaó d'Eivissa from Ibiza is round. It has a filling made from sheep or goat cottage cheese, eggs, and sugar. It's lightly flavored with peppermint leaves and aniseed. People often eat these flaons with a glass of sweet wine. Sometimes they drink a local Liqueur called frígola, which is a thyme-based drink that helps with digestion.

Flaó from Menorca

The flaó de Menorca is a pastry made with soft Maó cheese, wheat flour, olive oil, and yeast. Often, the recipe also includes egg and a little lard. Good Menorca flaons should be very puffy in the middle. You can find both salty and sweet versions of this pastry in Menorca. Some have a filling, while others mix all the ingredients together.

Flaonets from Matarranya

The flaonets de Calaceit (flaonets means "little flaons") are made in Calaceit. This town is in the La Franja region of Aragon. These are a bit different from other flaons. Instead of cheese, these small pastries are filled with pumpkin jam and honey. The famous painter Salvador Dalí really loved these flaonets and remembered them fondly as a traditional Spanish treat.