Gachas
Encyclopedia
Gachas is an ancestral basic dish from central and southern Spain
. Its main ingredients are flour, water, olive oil
, garlic
and salt.
preparation.
Gachas may have different consistencies, from a liquid soup to a pie-like thick cake with a golden crust. The way of preparing them changes from area to area and from family to family.
Gachas is considered an unrefined rural dish, the food of shepherds and farmers. They were largely replaced by rice and potato dishes in most areas of Spain during the 20th century, especially in the towns and cities. Consumption of this simple dish resurfaced again during economic downturns and upheavals, like the Spanish Civil War
, earning it the name "gachas de los años difíciles" (gachas of the hard years). Certain modern chefs argue though, that well-prepared gachas are not necessarily a coarse dish.
As a good Iberian dish, gachas are often served with pork products, like salted or fresh bacon, chorizo
, salchichón
, morcilla, among others.
Andalusia
n gachas, gachas andaluzas, are traditionally made of wheat
flour. The traditional way of cooking them consists in frying garlic slices in olive oil until they are golden. Then the flour is added by sprinkling it over the hot oil with one hand and mixing well with the spoon until the mixture is slightly roasted. Water is added then, pouring it very slowly, while stirring the mixture all the while without interrupting the bubbling. Salt and water are added to taste and desired consistency, the gachas being ready when they "smell cooked".
There are many variations of the gachas in Andalusia itself, like the, poleá (Seville
), Gachas de Almería
, Gachas alpujarreñas (from las Alpujarras area in Granada
), Gachas cordobesas (Cordova
), or Gachas malagueñas (Malaga
).
The gachas in Andalusia can be colored with sweet paprika
or saffron
(Gachas de pimentón or Gachas colorás), which adds to their flavor. Fried onion and bread croutons may be also added in certain regions.
The Gachas de matanza (butchery gachas) are gachas served with a stew including curdled blood
, liver and offal
, traditionally eaten right after butchering a pig
, a sheep or a goat
.
The gachas manchegas or gachas de almorta are cooked with flour made from grass peas
(Lathyrus sativus). Accompaniments for the dish vary throughout La Mancha
. It was generally consumed during the cold winter months. The dish is generally eaten directly out of the pan it was cooked in, using either a spoon or a simple slice of bread.
This dish is commonly consumed immediately after removing it from the fire, being careful not to burn one's lips or tongue.
Grass pea flour is exceedingly difficult to obtain outside of Castile-La Mancha, especially in its pure form. Commercial forms are mixed with wheat flour due to the fact that grass peas are toxic if consumed in significantly large quantities.
The gachas serranas of Cuenca
, are a local variant, usually served with mushrooms and potatoes. In the comarca of la Serranía, stewed and pickled pork liver is added to the gachas when the water is added. Other possible accompaniments include hot chilis or baby cucumbers in vinegar.
The gachas murcianas of the Murcia region
are a variation of the gachas manchegas spiked with caraway
(Carum carvi), black pepper
and clove
s.
, in the comarca of Rincón de Ademuz
, a Valencian
enclave in the eastern fringes of the ancient New Castile. These gachas are generally mixed with pork or cod
, as well as tomato
es and snail
s. The dish is part of the traditional cuisine of the area, in addition to the grass pea gachas of neighboring La Mancha that are eaten in Ademuz as well. In the Valencian Ports
mountain region further northeast, a similar dish is known locally as Farro.
In Aragon
the same dish may be also called Gachas, but more often it is referred to by the local name of Farinetas. It is prepared by frying thick pieces of bacon in olive oil and taking them off the pan when they have released some fat. Then water and fine corn flour are added to the same pan, slowly stirring the mixture until it is cooked. The proportion is roughly 250 g of flour, 150 g of bacon, 1 liter of water, three large spoonfuls of extra virgin olive oil and a teaspoonful of salt.
It is common in Andalusia to prepare Gachas dulces (sweet gachas), a sweet version of the dish which can be served as a dessert
. The ingredients are olive oil, flour and water, like in the traditional gachas, but adding sugar instead of garlic and salt. They may be cooked with milk instead of water. Sweet gachas may be seasoned with honey
, vanilla
, orange
peel and cinnamon. The dish may be eaten with raisins, almonds or bread croutons.
The gachas extremeñas are a dessert from Extremadura
flavored with anise
(Pimpinella anisum). In this dish breadcrumbs are added to the mixture during the cooking.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Its main ingredients are flour, water, olive oil
Olive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
, garlic
Garlic
Allium sativum, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion genus, Allium. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and rakkyo. Dating back over 6,000 years, garlic is native to central Asia, and has long been a staple in the Mediterranean region, as well as a frequent...
and salt.
Origin
Gachas are based on a very ancient Iberian flour-based staple foodStaple food
A staple food is one that is eaten regularly and in such quantities that it constitutes a dominant portion of a diet, and that supplies a high proportion of energy and nutrient needs. Most people live on a diet based on one or more staples...
preparation.
Gachas may have different consistencies, from a liquid soup to a pie-like thick cake with a golden crust. The way of preparing them changes from area to area and from family to family.
Gachas is considered an unrefined rural dish, the food of shepherds and farmers. They were largely replaced by rice and potato dishes in most areas of Spain during the 20th century, especially in the towns and cities. Consumption of this simple dish resurfaced again during economic downturns and upheavals, like the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, earning it the name "gachas de los años difíciles" (gachas of the hard years). Certain modern chefs argue though, that well-prepared gachas are not necessarily a coarse dish.
As a good Iberian dish, gachas are often served with pork products, like salted or fresh bacon, chorizo
Chorizo
Chorizo is a term encompassing several types of pork sausages originating from the Iberian Peninsula.In English, it is usually pronounced , , or , but sometimes ....
, salchichón
Salami
Salami is cured sausage, fermented and air-dried meat, originating from one of a variety of animals. Historically, salami has been popular among Southern European peasants because it can be stored at room temperature for periods of up to 10 years, supplementing a possibly meager or inconsistent...
, morcilla, among others.
Andalucía
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
n gachas, gachas andaluzas, are traditionally made of wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
flour. The traditional way of cooking them consists in frying garlic slices in olive oil until they are golden. Then the flour is added by sprinkling it over the hot oil with one hand and mixing well with the spoon until the mixture is slightly roasted. Water is added then, pouring it very slowly, while stirring the mixture all the while without interrupting the bubbling. Salt and water are added to taste and desired consistency, the gachas being ready when they "smell cooked".
There are many variations of the gachas in Andalusia itself, like the, poleá (Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
), Gachas de Almería
Almería
Almería is a city in Andalusia, Spain, on the Mediterranean Sea. It is the capital of the province of the same name.-Toponym:Tradition says that the name Almería stems from the Arabic المرية Al-Mariyya: "The Mirror", comparing it to "The Mirror of the Sea"...
, Gachas alpujarreñas (from las Alpujarras area in Granada
Granada
Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence of three rivers, the Beiro, the Darro and the Genil. It sits at an elevation of 738 metres above sea...
), Gachas cordobesas (Cordova
Cordova
-Places:*Cordova, Alabama, USA*Cordova, Alaska, USA*Cordova, Cebu, Philippines*Cordova, Illinois, USA*Cordova, Maryland, USA*Cordova, Nebraska, USA*Cordova, New Mexico, USA*Cordova, South Carolina, USA*Cordova, Tennessee, USA*Córdoba, Argentina...
), or Gachas malagueñas (Malaga
Málaga
Málaga is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,507 in 2010, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe...
).
The gachas in Andalusia can be colored with sweet paprika
Paprika
Paprika is a spice made from the grinding of dried fruits of Capsicum annuum . In many European languages, the word paprika refers to bell peppers themselves. The seasoning is used in many cuisines to add color and flavor to dishes. Paprika can range from mild to hot...
or saffron
Saffron
Saffron is a spice derived from the flower of Crocus sativus, commonly known as the saffron crocus. Crocus is a genus in the family Iridaceae. Each saffron crocus grows to and bears up to four flowers, each with three vivid crimson stigmas, which are each the distal end of a carpel...
(Gachas de pimentón or Gachas colorás), which adds to their flavor. Fried onion and bread croutons may be also added in certain regions.
The Gachas de matanza (butchery gachas) are gachas served with a stew including curdled blood
Blood as food
Some cultures consume blood as food, often in combination with meat. The blood may be in the form of blood sausage, as a thickener for sauces, a cured salted form for times of food scarcity, or in a blood soup. This is a product from domesticated animals, obtained at a place and time where the...
, liver and offal
Offal
Offal , also called, especially in the United States, variety meats or organ meats, refers to the internal organs and entrails of a butchered animal. The word does not refer to a particular list of edible organs, which varies by culture and region, but includes most internal organs other than...
, traditionally eaten right after butchering a pig
Pig
A pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig, its ancestor the wild boar, and several other wild relatives...
, a sheep or a goat
Goat
The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
.
Castile-La Mancha
Lathyrus sativus
Lathyrus sativus, is a legume commonly grown for human consumption and livestock feed in Asia and East Africa. It is a particularly important crop in areas that are prone to drought and famine, and is thought of as an 'insurance crop' as it produces reliable yields when all other crops...
(Lathyrus sativus). Accompaniments for the dish vary throughout La Mancha
Castile-La Mancha
Castile-La Mancha is an autonomous community of Spain. Castile-La Mancha is bordered by Castile and León, Madrid, Aragon, Valencia, Murcia, Andalusia, and Extremadura. It is one of the most sparsely populated of Spain's autonomous communities...
. It was generally consumed during the cold winter months. The dish is generally eaten directly out of the pan it was cooked in, using either a spoon or a simple slice of bread.
This dish is commonly consumed immediately after removing it from the fire, being careful not to burn one's lips or tongue.
Grass pea flour is exceedingly difficult to obtain outside of Castile-La Mancha, especially in its pure form. Commercial forms are mixed with wheat flour due to the fact that grass peas are toxic if consumed in significantly large quantities.
The gachas serranas of Cuenca
Cuenca (province)
Cuenca is a province of central Spain, in the eastern part of the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha.-Guide to the area:Located in a natural setting of beauty, the Old Town of Cuenca occupies a superb site between two river gorges. Famous are its 15th Century "hanging houses" , that appear...
, are a local variant, usually served with mushrooms and potatoes. In the comarca of la Serranía, stewed and pickled pork liver is added to the gachas when the water is added. Other possible accompaniments include hot chilis or baby cucumbers in vinegar.
The gachas murcianas of the Murcia region
Region of Murcia
The Region of Murcia is an autonomous community of Spain located in the southeast of the country, between Andalusia and Valencian Community, on the Mediterranean coast....
are a variation of the gachas manchegas spiked with caraway
Caraway
Caraway also known as meridian fennel, or Persian cumin is a biennial plant in the family Apiaceae, native to western Asia, Europe and Northern Africa....
(Carum carvi), black pepper
Black pepper
Black pepper is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit, known as a peppercorn when dried, is approximately in diameter, dark red when fully mature, and, like all drupes, contains a single seed...
and clove
Clove
Cloves are the aromatic dried flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae. Cloves are native to the Maluku islands in Indonesia and used as a spice in cuisines all over the world...
s.
Valencia and Aragon
A type of gachas made with corn flour are popular in the area of AdemuzAdemuz
Ademuz is a municipality in the comarca of Rincón de Ademuz in the Valencian Community, Spain.-History:The Muslim fortress of Al-Dāmūs was conquered by the troops of Peter II of Aragon in 1210, with the help of the Knights of Malta and of the Templars.-Geography:Ademuz is situated in the middle of...
, in the comarca of Rincón de Ademuz
Rincón de Ademuz
Rincón de Ademuz is Spanish comarca constituted as an exclave of both the Region of Valencia and the province of Valencia located between the provinces of Cuenca and Teruel .-Overview:...
, a Valencian
Valencian Community
The Valencian Community is an autonomous community of Spain located in central and south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Valencia...
enclave in the eastern fringes of the ancient New Castile. These gachas are generally mixed with pork or cod
Cod
Cod is the common name for genus Gadus, belonging to the family Gadidae, and is also used in the common name for various other fishes. Cod is a popular food with a mild flavor, low fat content and a dense, flaky white flesh. Cod livers are processed to make cod liver oil, an important source of...
, as well as tomato
Tomato
The word "tomato" may refer to the plant or the edible, typically red, fruit which it bears. Originating in South America, the tomato was spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in greenhouses in cooler...
es and snail
Snail
Snail is a common name applied to most of the members of the molluscan class Gastropoda that have coiled shells in the adult stage. When the word is used in its most general sense, it includes sea snails, land snails and freshwater snails. The word snail without any qualifier is however more often...
s. The dish is part of the traditional cuisine of the area, in addition to the grass pea gachas of neighboring La Mancha that are eaten in Ademuz as well. In the Valencian Ports
Ports (comarca)
Ports is a comarca in the province of Castellón, Valencian Community, Spain. It mostly overlaps the historical comarca known as Ports de Morella , except for the municipal areas surrounding Catí and Vilafranca that were excluded from the present-day Ports...
mountain region further northeast, a similar dish is known locally as Farro.
In Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
the same dish may be also called Gachas, but more often it is referred to by the local name of Farinetas. It is prepared by frying thick pieces of bacon in olive oil and taking them off the pan when they have released some fat. Then water and fine corn flour are added to the same pan, slowly stirring the mixture until it is cooked. The proportion is roughly 250 g of flour, 150 g of bacon, 1 liter of water, three large spoonfuls of extra virgin olive oil and a teaspoonful of salt.
Gachas as a dessert
Dessert
In cultures around the world, dessert is a course that typically comes at the end of a meal, usually consisting of sweet food. The word comes from the French language as dessert and this from Old French desservir, "to clear the table" and "to serve." Common Western desserts include cakes, biscuits,...
. The ingredients are olive oil, flour and water, like in the traditional gachas, but adding sugar instead of garlic and salt. They may be cooked with milk instead of water. Sweet gachas may be seasoned with honey
Honey
Honey is a sweet food made by bees using nectar from flowers. The variety produced by honey bees is the one most commonly referred to and is the type of honey collected by beekeepers and consumed by humans...
, vanilla
Vanilla
Vanilla is a flavoring derived from orchids of the genus Vanilla, primarily from the Mexican species, Flat-leaved Vanilla . The word vanilla derives from the Spanish word "", little pod...
, orange
Orange (fruit)
An orange—specifically, the sweet orange—is the citrus Citrus × sinensis and its fruit. It is the most commonly grown tree fruit in the world....
peel and cinnamon. The dish may be eaten with raisins, almonds or bread croutons.
The gachas extremeñas are a dessert from Extremadura
Extremadura
Extremadura is an autonomous community of western Spain whose capital city is Mérida. Its component provinces are Cáceres and Badajoz. It is bordered by Portugal to the west...
flavored with anise
Anise
Anise , Pimpinella anisum, also called aniseed, is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae native to the eastern Mediterranean region and Southwest Asia. Its flavor resembles that of liquorice, fennel, and tarragon.- Biology :...
(Pimpinella anisum). In this dish breadcrumbs are added to the mixture during the cooking.