Typical dishes of Archena

Agricultural traditions dictate the more conventional family dishes served at home in Archena

Many of the traditional dishes which are such a basic staple of Archena cuisine are similar to those found elsewhere in the Murcia Region, due principally to the ingredients cultivated and the methods of cooking used prior to the advent of electricity and running domestic water.

Historically, it was not unusual for all cooking to be undertaken over a wood fire, and very few homes possessed an oven, so baked dishes were often cooked by the local baker and many typical Murican dishes were cooked over a fire, either in the home or out in the countryside where work was being undertaken.

Rice is a popular ingredient, as it is grown locally in Calasparra, and forms a staple base for many "over the fire" rice dishes. Ingredients vary according to the season, and as is the case elsewhere, a popular Sunday family lunch is a paella-style rice dish with whatever the time of year has to offer.

Rabbit is always popular, although any meat can be combined with seasonal vegetables to make a popular family or sociable dish which can easily be adapted to feed any size of group.

Other traditionally popular dishes include migas and gachasmigas: these consist of a process combining flour and olive oil,which are fried in a pan, and were a staple base for country dwellers. The resulting dish looks like fried breadcrumbs in the case of migas, while gachasmigas is a wetter mix and is served in a solid cake format with lots of garlic cloves in the mix. Served with “tropezones” which might include sausage, bacon, longaniza (spicy sausage), locally grown “ñora” bell peppers and garlic or vegetables it was very much a staple for those with reduced incomes and remains a firm family and friends dish.

Bean and fennel stews are traditionally popular options during Lent, and other pot meals which are commonly served in Archena include a variety of other stews featuring broad or fava beans, such as “olla gitana”, which typically also contains chick peas, pumpkin, onion, potatoes and other vegetables. Also worth mentioning is a dish called “pebre”, which consists of broth with chunks of bread and lamb meat, and warming garlic-based soups.

As is common across Murcia, these "family favourites" are often reserved for weekends and sociable gatherings, and families consume a wide range of dishes on a daily basis.

As for sweets, among the most popular are the merengue and flaky pastry “cuernos” or horns, the cream “pitisú” and the chocolate and merengue “negritos”, while homemade apricot and peach jams are still produced using locally grown fruit. An aniseed-based version of the sweet known as “cabello de ángel” is popular at Christmas, and in Semana Santa Archena is one of the towns where the typical “mona de Pascua” buns are consumed on Easter Sunday. A stop off in any bakery is always a delight for those with a sweet tooth, and a wide range of pastries and breads are always baked daily with local variations inevitable!

Archena boasts a number of restaurants serving a wider selection of international cuisine and contemporary Spanish dishes, and there is plenty of choice for those for those who enjoy tapas and bar cuisine, with a wide selection of popular tapa to choose from.