Gachamiga, the classical dish from the southeast of Spain

The traditional recipe of gachamiga belongs to the southeastern region of Spain, where it is eaten in all kinds of celebrations, family gatherings, and where it is also very appreciated. It is the perfect dish to warm up during the coldest days. In Murcia it is a tradition to prepare it with the liver. And in the province of Alicante is eaten with the typical longanizas (red and white sausages).

A key element is to have a good non-stick frying pan, iron, large or medium, depending on the amount you want to cook. A very curious dish, full of history and tradition. It can be eaten with all kinds of vegetables, although in this recipe we show you how to cook it with sausages, the classical recipe. In many areas it is cooked with dried peppers, garlic, broad beans or chard. There are also very tasty and comforting variants of this recipe.

Gachamiga with sausages. | Shutterstock

Ingredients for 4 people:

• 250 g of flour
• 1/2 glass of olive oil
• 4 or 5 cloves of garlic
• 1 ñora
• Salt
• 1 liter of water, approximately
• 4 red sausages (longanizas)

How to make the gachamiga:

1. First, heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan. Then, add the garlic and fry them for a few minutes, without peeling or cutting them. Simply crush them a little bit with a large knife so that they release their flavor better. Add also the ñora to the pan, taking its tail and seeds off.
2. Fry these two ingredients little by little, low heat, so that they fill the oil with their flavor. Once the ñora and the garlic are golden brown, remove them from the heat and set them aside in a small bowl.
3. The second step is to pour the flour into the pan and start stirring vigorously with the skimmer, without letting it burn. Keep stirring well, while pouring in the water, little by little. Keep mixing the flour and water well to avoid lumps forming with the flour.
4. This work of stirring the flour requires patience and some strength. It is necessary that the dough is in constant movement, so that the edges do not stick to the pan. In addition, we will have to turn it repeatedly, like it was a potatoe tortilla, so that it is done equally on both sides. Although, without a doubt, the result is worth it.
5. Now, add the fried garlic that you had reserved in the first step and… ready! You have your gachamiga done. Now it is time to fry the sausages, cut them into small pieces, and add them on top of the delicious gachamiga. Or the vegetables, depending on the result you want or if there is a vegetarian guest. Both variants are delicious, that’s for sure.