La Mancha crumbs

How to make crumbs from La Mancha. This crumb recipe is one of the most typical dishes of Spanish gastronomy, although only in part of its territory.

We can safely say that they are as important as revolconas potatoes in Ávila, Rioja-style potatoes in La Rioja or octopus à feira in Galicia. From Aragon, passing through all of Castile, and from there throughout the Southeast of Spain, it is possible to find the crumbs , with the variants of each zone or region.

It is a very simple dish, full of flavor, and has always been linked to shepherds who traveled through large areas with their livestock. The main base is the hard bread, which is soaked, and then accompanied by different ingredients: pork jowl, fresh bacon, chorizo, bacon, sausage, grapes, fried eggs, etc.

Its origin is the Arab culture, and from its presence in the Peninsula for centuries, it passed to our gastronomy. Harisa and Arabic couscous were replaced by stale bread.

Historically, it has been a basic dish, which was used in many times to alleviate the hunger generated by wars and famines. In my case, being from Galicia, this dish was not among our home menus, but for years in Madrid, I have already caught the taste of crumbs.

It is a simple, cheap and full of flavors recipe. Of course, it is also powerful in calories, so it is necessary to enjoy them without going over… hehe. Today I am going to focus on Migas Manchegas or Migas Ruleras , which are usually accompanied by fresh pork belly , or chorizo, and finally by white grapes.

I have also eaten them accompanied by pieces of melon, and they are also delicious. At home we enjoy them a lot, and it’s a party when I announce that I’m going to cook them. To curl the curl, there are times when we make fried eggs with lace to accompany them, and the result is already firecracker. This is an authentic “yummy” recipe, I hope you like them.

Preparation of La Mancha crumbs

1. The important and essential element is hard bread. I recommend loaf of bread or loaf, and that it has about 2-3 days.
2. If it is not with the texture of hard bread, the recipe will not work well, or at least in the traditional way.
3. The day before (the day before), we cut the bread into small pieces or cubes. We soak them with salted water, and let them rest wrapped in a damp cloth. In this way we will hydrate them to cook them the next day. If not, leave them for at least 2/3 hours.
4. Chop the fresh bacon into cubes and the chorizo ​​into slices (or pieces, as you prefer).
5. We fry them in a pan with a good jet of extra virgin olive oil, for 10 minutes over medium heat, until you see that they are golden brown and they have released their juice to the oil.
6. We remove on an absorbent kitchen paper and reserve the oil used for later.
7. In another frying pan, pour olive oil again, along with the oil from the previous frying, which must be warm or cold (so that it does not jump).
8. Add the whole garlic cloves and fry over medium heat. Try to cut the ends so that they do not explode. Let them brown on both sides and remove.
9. Now add the hard bread crumbs, which we mix with the oil and stir with a wooden utensil.

Cooking and final presentation of the crumbs

1. We cook until we see that they are well browned and loose. They will have taken the color and flavor of the oil.
2. To give it the final touch, we add the bacon (torreznos) and the fried chorizo. Mix and let them warm for a few minutes.
3. Serve immediately and very hot on the table, decorating the plate or pan with some white grapes. This accompaniment is typical of La Mancha, although you can also substitute the grapes for pieces of fresh melon.
4. To give it more force, I recommend frying an egg per diner and placing it on the crumbs. The dish does nothing but improve.

Be sure to enjoy our  appetizer recipes , as a first or even as part of a family meal.

I leave you with the crumb contest held in San Sebastián de los Reyes that is held every year in the popular Caldereta on May 1, in Sanse they are as famous as the lamb stew itself .