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 Gazpacho deRequena | |
| Alternative names | Torta gazpachera, gaspacho oranais |
|---|---|
| Type | Torta orflatbread |
| Place of origin | Spain |
| Main ingredients | Wheat flour |
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Torta de gazpacho is a type oftorta, orflat bread, used to prepare a dish calledgazpacho orgazpacho manchego inLa Mancha and Southeast Spain, includingMurcia and parts of the autonomous community ofValencia. The wordgazpacho comes from the Latin adjectivecaccabaceus, derived fromcaccabus ('cauldron'), attested in several works by Tertulian, Zeno of Verona and others. This word was applied in ancient Rome to a type of bread very similar to thetorta de gazpacho.[1]
Atorta de gazpacho, also known astorta de pastor, is a flat and roundbread made withwheat flour withoutyeast. Along with thegachas thetortas de gazpacho are a very ancientIberian staple food preparation. Traditionally Manchega women used to bake their owntortas at home, but now a commercial type oftorta de gazpacho is produced inLa Roda under the name"torta cenceña".
To preparegazpachos the flat bread is torn or cut into small pieces and mixed with a somewhat liquidstew in order to prepare a warm dish. This dish originated in the hearty foodshepherds needed when they came back home on cold winter nights. It is traditional to serve this dish by placing the pan or large plate in the middle and all the guests sitting around eating from it. Sometimes instead of the plate the gazpacho is poured on a very large flat bread.[2]
This type of gazpacho should not be confused with theAndalusian cold soup also calledgazpacho.
There are ways of preparingtorta de gazpacho-based dishes without meat. In ancient times when meat orgame was scarce, gazpachos were prepared with a vegetable stew. The main ingredient of the stew were seasonal vegetables, likezucchini,bell pepper andeggplant, especially in the comarcas of theRegion of Murcia. In La Mancha, a much less fertile region,bladder campion(Silene vulgaris) leaves were used for the stew instead of the meat.
Traditionally thevegetarian gazpachos were considered inferior fare, only to be eaten in difficult times or by the poor people. Therefore, they were known asgazpachos viudos (widowed gazpachos); the reference to a widower originating in the fact that an essential ingredient was missing. Presentlyspinach may be used instead of the bladder campion leaves.[8]
