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Oliaigua
Onion, pepper and tomato soup
Oliaigua menorquina: Menorca's summer soup of onion, pepper and tomato poured over thin bread
The name is simply oli i aigua, oil and water, and that is how Menorcan farm workers started it: a pan of olive oil, a little water and whatever the vegetable patch offered, poured over slices of hard bread. Today oliaigua amb tomàtigues is a July and August supper all over the island, from Ciutadella to Maó, slow-cooked onion, green pepper and ripe tomato in a light broth. Menorcans eat it with fresh figs or grapes on the side, which sounds odd and works beautifully. Chef's tip: the bread must be stale and sliced paper-thin, so it softens in the broth without dissolving into paste.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 onionsthinly sliced
- 2 green pepperssliced into strips
- 4 cloves garlicsliced
- 1 ¾ lb ripe tomatoespeeled and chopped
- 4 ¼ cups water
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsleychopped
- 5 ½ oz stale country breadsliced as thinly as possible
To serve
- 8 fresh figs or grapes (optional)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Warm the ½ cup olive oil in a wide, heavy pot (a clay pot if you have one) over a low heat. Add the 2 onions, 2 green peppers and 4 cloves garlic and cook gently for 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until very soft and sweet but not browned.
20 minStep 2: Add the 1 ¾ lb ripe tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes more until they collapse into a loose sauce and the oil shines on top.
10 minStep 3: Pour in the 4 ¼ cups water, add the 1 ½ tsp salt and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. A common mistake is letting it boil hard; that clouds the broth and turns the vegetables to mush.
12 minStep 4: Lay the 5 ½ oz stale country bread slices in a deep serving dish or in individual bowls. Stir the 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley into the soup, then ladle it over the bread.
2 minStep 5: Leave for 2–3 minutes until the bread has softened but still holds its shape. Serve hot, with the 8 fresh figs or grapes on the side.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does oliaigua take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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