Version from Spain
Ajo caliente — Spain
Ajo caliente is a low-cost Andalusian countryside dish where garlic, tomatoes, peppers and stale bread are simmered in olive oil into a thick, warm mixture.
- 10 min
- Prep
- 35 min
- Cook
- 4
- Servings
- Easy
- Difficulty
Ajo caliente, meaning 'hot garlic', also known as ajo campero, is a dish typical of the Andalusian countryside in Spain. Like much of Andalusian cuisine, it belongs to the inexpensive dishes, built from a short list of low-cost ingredients that were within reach of field workers and rural households.
It is reported to have changed over time in step with the economic situation, with cooks widening the range of ingredients as they became available. According to sources, the base recipe rested on garlic, tomatoes, peppers, bread and olive oil, with little else needed to turn stale bread into a warm meal.
To prepare it, whole garlic cloves are fried gently in olive oil until golden, then chopped peppers and tomatoes are added and cooked down into a thick base. Torn stale bread is stirred in along with water and paprika, and the mixture is simmered until the bread breaks down and thickens the dish into a warm, spoonable preparation, not unlike a rustic bread soup.
Households vary the ratio of bread to vegetables, the type of pepper used, and whether cumin or other spices are added, giving versions that range from a thick soup to a firmer, porridge-like dish, while keeping garlic, tomato, pepper, bread and olive oil as the shared base of every version.
Preparation
Heat the olive oil in a wide pan and fry the whole garlic cloves until golden.
Add the chopped peppers and cook until softened.
Add the chopped tomatoes and cook down into a thick sauce.
Stir in the paprika and cumin, then add the torn bread.
Pour in the water and season with salt, then simmer, stirring, until the bread breaks down into a thick, spoonable mixture.
Continue cooking over low heat until the oil separates slightly at the edges, then serve hot.
