How to cook 'migas manchegas'

We tell you everything you need to know about one of the best-known traditional dishes in Spanish gastronomy.

BY María Pérez | 26 August 2024

Migas is a dish of humble origins with brilliant flavour and nutritional value which, as its name suggests, is made mainly from the crumbs of stale bread. (“Migas”, is Spanish for “crumbs”). It is a traditional dish that uses ingredients that would otherwise be discarded, and it has evolved over the years and has even found its way onto the menus of Michelin-starred restaurants.

It is a traditional dish that is present in many regions across the Iberian Peninsual, and even in Portugal. Originally it was the food of choice for farmers and nomadic shepherds, who needed an affordable meal, rich in protein and fat and, above all, with a long shelf life, to carry from region to region while shepherding their livestock. However, some suggest that this recipe was introduced by the Arabs and that our migas, as we know them today, are actually a version of tharid that was gradually adapted to a more local style of cooking, adding ingredients such as pork.

Each region has its own traditional recipe and personal touch, changing some ingredients and procedures. Nowadays there are different types: manchegas (or ruleras), extremeñas, andaluzas (with specialities in the region of Murcia - the gachasmigas - and in Almería - the semolina ones), alentajana (Portugal), turriyones (Zamora) and aragonesas. Although they are all delicious, today we will show you how to prepare some good migas manchegas.

'Migas manchegas': step by step

the star ingredient of migas in the style of La Mancha is pork, with chorizo and bacon being two ingredients that can never be left out. These are known as migas ruleras or shepherd’s migas because, once they are made, they are rolled along a sloping surface. Others say that this is due to the long process of stirring with a wooden spatula to achieve the desired consistency. Migas manchegas are usually served with grapes or even melon and are a traditional dish that is enjoyed during the grape harvest.

Ingredients:

120 ml olive oil
Fresh chorizo
Pancetta
1 clove of garlic
Chorizo peppers
Grapes

Instructions

1. Wrap the hard breadcrumbs in a tea towel and soak them in a bowl filled with brine for two hours.
2. In the meantime, fry the chopped bacon and chorizo. Remove before they become crispy and drain the oil on a napkin.
3. Using a pestle and mortar, crush the chorizo peppers and slice the bacon and chorizo into small pieces.
4. Place the garlic in the previously flavoured oil and add the crumbs. It is important to turn them constantly using a wooden spatula, until they are golden brown.
5. Add the chopped chorizo and pancetta, the chorizo peppers and mix well with the crumbs.