Migas el Pastor is one of those dishes that proves that humble ingredients can create something unforgettable.
Born from the practical cooking of shepherds, it uses what they had on hand during long days outdoors: stale bread, garlic, peppers and, when available, sausages such as chorizo or morcilla. What began as a practical meal has become a part of Valencian gastronomy.
Across the Valencian Community you will find many versions of Migas, each town adding its personal touch.
Good Migas should be crisp on the outside and soft inside. To achieve this, day-old bread is moistened, crumbled and slowly toasted with garlic and peppers. The stirring technique, steady and patient, is essential. Additions such as fried egg, cod, chorizo or onion morcilla make the dish richer, but the base remains simple.
Migas el Pastor: Alicante style
This version from Alicante keeps the recipe rustic: simple but flavourful. It resembles gachamiga rulera in texture, although that dish uses flour, while Migas uses bread.
You can keep them light, or prepare a heartier version by adding sausages, pancetta or onion morcilla.
Ingredients (4 servings)
- 1 head of garlic (make a small circular cut on the outer skin so it does not burst)
- 1 green pepper
- 4 tablespoons crushed tomato
- Salt to taste
- ½ kg day-old bread (2 to 3 days old)
- 20 cl olive oil (approximately one glass)
Preparation time: about 1 hour
Method
- Briefly soak the bread in water, then remove and crumble it by hand. The bread must be moist but never soggy.
- Prepare the veg.
- Fry the garlic and pepper
- Heat the olive oil in a wide pan. Add the garlic head and the chopped pepper. Cook until lightly golden and fragrant. Remove and set aside.
- Add tomato and bread
- In the same pan, sauté the crushed tomato. Add the crumbled bread and a pinch of salt. Start stirring to combine everything well.
- Adjust the seasoning
- Taste and add more salt if necessary.
- Combine the ingredients
- After about five minutes, return the garlic and pepper to the pan. Continue stirring so that the flavours blend into the bread.
Once the bread has cooked through, turn off the heat and keep stirring until the Migas are fine, evenly mixed and lightly crisp. The timing will depend on the bread and how much moisture it holds.
