Our dough technologists´favourite foods from around the world
Fiesta Mexicana: Pascal Roming and his interpretation of tortillas
Colourful, spicy and fun-loving: that’s the diverse cuisine of Mexico. But there’s one round flatbread that embodies Mexican cuisine like nothing else and has even conquered the whole world: we’re talking about tortillas.
These corn or wheat flour flatbreads are served together with all kinds of dishes, and are often the very basis of the meal. Tortillas shine in their ability to be adapted to any tastes. Topped with meat, vegetables or seafood, they become tostadas. Folded and filled, they become tacos. Rolled tortillas gratinéed with salsa are called enchiladas. If you wrap wheat tortillas, you have burritos. Cut corn tortillas into quarters and fry them in oil, and they become corn chips or, to call them by their other name, nachos.
“Many think of tortillas as thin, round flatbreads. It is precisely in their simplicity where their diversity is hidden. Many products are ready to eat straight after baking. But with tortillas, that’s where the real fun starts. Tortillas can be turned into all kinds of magical creations by filling them, shaping them or modifying the dough recipe. Anyone can become a chef and give free rein to their creativity,” explains Pascal Roming, a senior dough technologist at FRITSCH, revealing his enthusiasm for this product.
Once around the world and then on to FRITSCH
As diversified as the product tortilla is, so is the path that brought Pascal to FRITSCH. Pascal has been with the company for three years. After a classical baker’s apprenticeship under a craft baker in the Black Forest, he traded the idyllic countryside for the big city to attend the Vocational School for Food Technology in Berlin, after which he went straight on to become a master baker.
Once finished, he felt drawn into the wide world. After a half-year break, during which he travelled the world as a baker with “Work & Travel”, he returned to Triesdorf to study food management. “During my time at the technology school and in my studies, I frequently came into contact with FRITSCH lines. That got me curious. So, in 2015, I applied for a practical semester with FRITSCH,” Pascal relates.
He enjoyed this so much that, in 2017, he immediately decided to join FRITSCH as a dough technologist at the World of Bakery (WoB).
„The great thing about my work is the realistic application of all machines, from handcraft to industry. I get to learn about new products from all over the world. I find that very exciting.“
Low tension is crucial
One FRITSCH line appeals especially strongly to Pascal: the industrial flatbread and pizza line, IMPRESSA flatbread. On this line, large amounts of dough are processed rapidly and efficiently to cut or punch flatbreads out of the dough sheet. This method is not only gentle on the dough, but also ensures high precision of shapes and weights. “For tortillas, a very thin dough is key. We work with high belt speeds here, so everything has to be perfectly tuned in order to keep as little tension on the dough as possible, and to make sure the round shape doesn’t become distorted,” Pascal explains the decisive factors for tortilla production on the IMPRESSA flatbread line.
The secret of a good wheat tortilla, besides good ingredients, is the short baking time at high temperatures. As soon as they are baked, tortillas are immediately packed, in order to retain the moisture. Only then will the flatbreads remain soft and supple. After that, the product keeps for a very long time, and the consumer has great flexibility with the purchase. Furthermore, out-of-home consumption is continually growing. It is not for nothing that the versatile tortillas will forever be a part of the “snacking” and “street food” market, and enriching the range of many bakeries. So, how does the master baker prefer his tortillas the most?
„Even if you use various spices like wasabi, curry or tomatoes to lend the tortilla an Asian or Mediterranean note – and can try out even more extravagant mixtures for the fillings – I am still a fan of the classic: to taste the simple wheat tortilla, preferably without filling, fresh from the oven,“
says Pascal with a smile.
A little about Pascal Roming
Pascal not only finds inspiration in the global art of baking from distant countries, but also invokes the roots of German handcraft. As a master baker, he feels strongly connected to his homeland. Thus, on weekends, you can find him working at the craft baker where he did his apprenticeship. He is an enthusiast of craftsmanship and a promoter of the conscious and sustainable use of raw materials.
FRITSCH World of Bakery
The World of Bakery offers a fully-equipped, 4,600 m² baking center to our customers. FRITSCH's complete line and machine programme is naturally at your service – from the smallest ROLLFIX to the industrial production lines from the FRITSCH IMPRESSA programme. This means baking technology at its best. This is how the WoB, coupled with the expertise and passion of its employees, offers our customers the best possible support.
