Cooked maragato in a pot of bread. Step by step recipe.

The cooked maragato is typical of the Maragatería region (León) and is characterized by the fact that it is eaten backwards: first the meats and the filling, then the chickpeas with the cabbage, and finally the soup. In Santiagomillas, which is where we usually go to take it, they told us that it was done this way in the past in case the enemy presented himself unexpectedly, taking the most “substantial” first in case of flies… but the truth is that I have not been able to verify the veracity of said statement through no source.

The stew has inspired couplets, books and even an opera. Throughout the Spanish geography we find cooked in multiple variants, the Galician , the Basque, the Catalan escudella , the Asturian pot, the famous Madrid stew , the mountain stew, the rotten pot, the Canarian stew ,  the Andalusian or pringá , the stew Maragato , the gypsy pot from Murcia , the preacher’s dam in Aragon, and one that I’m sure I forgot … all variants of the same idea, the stew .

Ingredients for making Bertinet bread

For bread (oil dough adapted from Bertinet)

• 500 gr of strength flour.
• 300 ml of water.
• 50 ml of olive oil.
• 20 gr of fresh baker’s yeast.
• 10 gr of salt.
• 1 dash of honey

For the newbies who still don’t dare with bread, first of all: cheer up! and if not, you can buy a large loaf of bread, cut off the lid, and prepare only the lid of the casserole, which is super easy.

For the casserole lid

• 250 gr plain flour.
• 50 gr butter at room temperature.
• 100 ml water.
• a splash of olive oil.
• a pinch of salt.

Traditional elaboration of the Pot of bread

1. We started by preparing the bread the day before.
2. We rub the yeast with the flour until it is reduced to crumbs, we add the salt, the oil, the honey and the water at room temperature, and we begin to knead in a large bowl, using a baker’s scraper (or with our hands). When it is more or less amalgamated, we pass to the work surface without flouring (it is a very manageable dough).
3. Knead for about 10 minutes. When we already have a fairly worked dough, we can flour the work surface lightly. We make a ball by folding the dough repeatedly inwards.
4. We introduce in the mold, in this case of 15 cm panettone, and let it rise to triple volume in a warm place, covered with a cloth (about two hours). Oven preheated to 250º, steam with water, lower the temperature to 200º and bake for about 30 minutes, depending on the oven.
5. Remove and let cool on a rack. Once the bread is cold, we cut the lid, and empty the crumb inside, which we will reserve to use in the filling.
6. We make some cuts with a sharp knife on the side of the bread, where we will later introduce the side handles.

Elaboration in Thermomix of the Pot of bread

1. Pour the water, oil and honey into the glass, 2 minutes, temp. 37º. vel.2
2. Add the yeast, stir 4 seconds.
3. Add the flour and salt, mix 30 seconds, speed 6
4. We program 2 minutes, closed glass, vel. Spike. The rest the same as traditional elaboration.
5. We continue to prepare the casserole lid and handles.

Traditional elaboration of the Pot of bread

1. We mix all the ingredients and knead until they form a smooth and uniform ball. We refrigerate at least an hour. After that time, we stretch the dough with the rolling pin leaving it about 5 mm.
2. We cut a circle the size of our bread, pierce the edges with a toothpick, and decorate as if it were a casserole lid, gluing the decorations with water.
3. We also make the handles of the casserole.
4. Freeze for another hour at least before baking. In a preheated oven at 250 º, bake until golden brown (15-20 minutes)

Elaboration in Thermomix

1. We pour the ingredients, mix 30 seconds, speed 6
2. We program 2 minutes, closed glass, vel. Spike.
3. The rest the same as traditional elaboration.

Preparation of the Maragato stew

1. The night before I remind you that we will have soaked the chickpeas in warm water with salt. We cook the pork, the black pudding, and the vegetables (except for the cabbage that we will cook separately) for approximately 1 hour. During this time we will skim the broth, that is, removing the impurities. After this time, we raise the heat until it boils and add the chickpeas. We leave over low heat, and while we prepare the filling.
2. For this, we beat the eggs, and add the bread, the minced garlic, the chorizo ​​and the parsley if it is going to be used. Mix well, and fry like a potato omelette in a small deep frying pan. That is, we put a little oil in the pan, heat, pour the mixture, set, turn, and finish cooking. We reserve, and prepare the cabbage.
3. We put it to cook about 30 minutes cut into pieces. When it is ready, we put a splash of oil in a frying pan, and add the rolled garlic. When they are golden, add the paprika, and quickly so that it does not burn, the cabbage. and fry a little. We reserve, and continue with the stew.
4. Chickpeas should be simmered for 3 to 4 hours. When it is half an hour to finish, add the chicken, the chorizo, and the filling (uncut). Also half an hour before finishing, we will put the bread in the oven wrapped in albal paper, so that it is very crisp when serving, and is more resistant.
5. We continue with the soup. When cooked, we remove most of the broth to a separate saucepan, put on the fire, and when it boils, add two generous handfuls of fine noodles. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes, and serve.
6. We present the chickpeas, and the meats in the casserole, taking care that they are very dry so that the bread does not get too wet. The soup is served in a traditional tureen.

Be sure to enjoy all the stews, casseroles, stews and yummy soups in our recipes for soups and stews , and of course all the recipes with meat both to make the famous  croquettes of stew , I assure you that you will find a lot of ideas to make yours much happier.