Spain Recipes

Spanish Cuisine Receta del Dia or Recipe of the Day

Most people think of certain items when considering > or Spanish cooking, or in particular, southern Spain recipes. The Spanish cuisine goes far beyond Paella!

You will find here recipes that introduce Mediterranean food in way you never thought of. In our village, Torrox was settled in the time of the Phoenicians and Greeks who trading in olives, figs and wines. It rose in importance with the Romans as Caviclum, producing Garum a sort of anchovy fish paste (made from fish heads and entrails packed in salt and left to putrify in earthen casts for months until it became a paste). Of course the Arabic and Moorish influence in Spain recipes is seen in many of the local dishes such as Migas.

An interesting note regarding the Paella, the crust that formed at the bottom is considered the prize and is presented to the guest of honor,,,, did you know that this tradition is traced back to the Umayyad Caliph Dynasty when they relocated from Damascus to Cordoba in 750 AD? There are many middle eastern recipes that include how to develop a crust of rice and present to the guest of honor!

Back to Spain recipes and Spanish cuisine and cooking! On this page we will share with you some of the local Spanish recipes from our cookbook "Dinner for Six at 8:00" from Casa Cebadillas.

Today's Spanish Recipe or Receta del Dia is:

Casa Cebadillas, the Unique Dining Experience in Torrox CLICK here for more information

Empanadas

Typical Meat Pies from Spain

Servings: 6

Ingredients:
1 egg, beaten
3/4 lb of pork loin, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp bittersweet smoked paprika (Pimentón de la Vera)
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp chopped garlic
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 cup piquillo peppers, sliced
3 onions chopped
3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 tbsp chopped parsley
Salt and pepper
1 lb of yeast pastry or bread dough (pie-dough can work)
1 large red pepper, chopped
2 hard boiled eggs
Preparation:

Put the sliced pork in a dish with paprika, 1 tbsp of the chopped garlic, oregano, salt and pepper, and let sit for 30 minutes. Heat the olive oil in a pan and fry the pork very quickly, removing slices as they are browned. In the same oil, saute the chopped peppers, onions and remaining garlic until softened. Add the prepared tomatoes, parsley, salt and pepper and cook until the tomatoes are reduced and the sauce is very thick.

Divide the dough in half. On a floured board, roll out to a thickness of 1/4 - 1/2 inch. Line a cake tin with dough. Spread this with half the prepared sauce. Arrange the slices of pork loin on top and add a layer of piquillo pimentos above that. Slice the boiled eggs and layer above other ingredients. Spoon on the remaining sauce.

Roll out the rest of the dough and cover the pie. Crimp the edges together and trim the excess. Make a hole in the center for a steam vent. Put in a medium hot oven for 30 minutes. Brush the top with beaten egg and bake another 15-20 minutes. The crust should be golden and crispy. Can be served hot or cool.

Want to learn more about the cooking in Spain? Come for a culinary vacation holiday at Casa Cebadillas