Alpujarran cooking preserves its traditional products.  It’s principally based in hunting, the killing of pigs, and other products provided by the garden and baking.  Even though the gastronomy seems a bit bare bones, this can’t be further from the truth, since it joins together Moorish and Spanish cooking.  Its dishes are succulent and are adapted to the climate of La Alpujarra. 

Among the most tipical dishes we find Alpujarran migas, or “crumbs,” goat, the Alpujarran dish of papas a lo pobre, or potatoes with peppers and onions, ham and eggs, gachas pimentonas, Alpujarran soup with slivered almonds, cabagge stew, wild boar in sauce, trout with almonds, and loin of pork. Pork is the principal base of the Alpujarran gastronomy.  It’s worth mentioning, among other cold cuts, ham.  Because of its geographic location, generally speaking, the high Alpujarra, and specifically Capileira, are ideal places to dry the pieces.  This county has acquired the guarantee of origin of “Trevélez Ham” in the year 1992.  Other delicacies have also gained special recognition, like spicy pork sausage, blood sausage, and artisan cheese made from sheep’s milk.

To season the dishes there’s nothing better than the aromatic, natural herbs that grow on our mountains, some of which are oregano, thyme, and rosemary.

We can’t forget that wine also forms a part of the gastronomy of the county.  A pitcher of coastal wine to accompany stews is never missing from an Alpujarran family’s table.  Nowadays, la Alpujarra has three guarantees of origin, “Wine of la Contraviesa-Alpujarra”, “Vino de la Tierra de Laujar-Alpujarra”, “Vino de la Tierra de la Ribera del Andarax”.

To end a nice meal there is nothing better than a good dessert.  There are various desserts and they are very influenced by Arabic baking.  It’s worth noting the artisan ricotta cheese, sweetened pumpkin, fried custard, soplillos, fig bread, fritters, pan dormido, olive oil rolls, and torta de lata.

Some of these desserts are accompanied by start product of our gastronomy, bee’s honey collected in the Sierras.  There are many types of honey in La Alpujarra, such as chestnut honey, rosemary honey, Sierra honey, thyme honey, oak honey and pollen honey, among others.

Enjoy...

Capileira