Migas Alentejanas com Espargos Bravos
Alentejo's famed bread migas: stale Alentejo sourdough steeped in garlic broth and cooked in olive oil until a golden omelette-like roll forms, served with tender wild asparagus.
Ingredients
- • 350g stale Alentejo sourdough bread (pão alentejano), crust removed and torn into pieces
- • 200g wild green asparagus (espargos bravos), woody ends snapped off, cut into 3cm lengths
- • 5 tbsp Portuguese extra virgin olive oil
- • 4 cloves garlic, crushed, 1 tsp sweet pimentão doce, 1 bay leaf
- • 300ml warm water or light vegetable broth, coarse sea salt
Preparation Steps
Place torn bread pieces in a bowl. Pour warm salted water or broth over bread, press down, and let soak for 15 minutes to absorb liquid.
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet. Sauté asparagus pieces for 5 minutes until tender-crisp. Remove half for garnish.
In a heavy skillet, heat remaining olive oil with crushed garlic, bay leaf, and pimentão doce over medium-low heat until fragrant.
Add soaked bread and asparagus to the skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring and beating with a wooden spoon until a cohesive paste forms. Roll and shake the skillet back and forth until the migas roll into a golden, crusty cylindrical roll (enrolar as migas). Serve garnished with reserved asparagus.