Back to #GlobeCookingMad series with two simple and classic Andorra dish - Pa amb tomàquet and Mel i Mató.
Officially called the Principality of Andorra, situated in South-Western Europe sharing borders with Spain and France. The cuisine is largely influenced by Catalan.
Pa amb tomàquet
I spotted Pa amb tomàquet, which translates to bread and tomato in Catalan; a very easy recipe with the most simple and basic ingredients. As it is too easy I have included a dessert recipe too - Mel i Mató, a cheese dessert!
Pa amb tomàquet is traditional Catalan appetizer. A simple dish that can bring out great flavours.
Ingredients
- toasted slices of a good rustic country bread or sourdough bread
- fresh rip tomatoes
- garlic cloves
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
How to make it?
The custom is to first rub a halved clove of garlic on a toasted slice of warm bread to help infuse the garlic flavour. Next, rub a halved tomato followed with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Garlic and tomato with olive oil soak into the bread, creating a crunchy and soft flavour.
Mel i Mató
Mel i Mató is a local Catalan dessert made from mató - cheese obtained from fresh sheep milk. This cheese dessert is best served with local honey and nuts. The texture of mato cheese is similar to ricotta but is milder in taste.
Mel i Mató is topped with a good quality local honey and a medley of nuts sprinkled.
I made the Mató cheese from scratch and was bowled at its smooth and creamy texture. Honey adds sweetness and the nuts add a crunchy texture, resulting in a light yet delicious dessert.
Ingredients for Mel i Mató
- full-fat whole milk
- lemon juice
- honey
- choice of nuts and dried fruits
How to make mel i mato?
All you need to do is curdle the freshly boiled milk with some lemon juice and strain it through a cheesecloth until you have a nice mató cheese. You may have to keep it in the fridge for a couple of hours to drain off the excess water and keep the cheese cold and ready to serve.
Where is Andorra?
📖 Recipe Card
Mel i Mató
Equipment
- fine mesh colander
- cheesecloth
Ingredients
- 500 ml full-fat milk
- juice of half a lemon
- honey, flavoured
- finely chopped nuts of choice, (walnuts, pine nuts, and pistachios)
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the milk to a boil and then take it off the heat.
- Add the lemon juice to the hot milk and stir well until it curdles.
- Line a fine-mesh colander with a cheesecloth and press the mixture through until all the visible whey is drained off and you have a lump of mató cheese.
- Place the colander over a bowl and keep it in the fridge for a couple of hours to drain off the excess water and keep the cheese cold and ready to serve.
- When you're ready to serve, add the honey and the crushed nuts. Scoop and enjoy!
Nutrition Info
Adapted from Shbarcelona.
Next up, Angola!
Famidha Ashraf says
I love how simple ingredients like bread, garlic, and tomatoes can come together to create something so fresh and memorable. And for the dessert recipe, the sweet touch of honey on the mató is a game-changer! I’d be so happy to know if you try it at home and how you serve it.