Porra Antequerana – Cold Tomato Soup
Ingredientes
It is one of the cold tomato soups that rightly deserves a place among the favourites, alongside its closest relative, Cordoba salmorejo. The main difference between these two sibling soups is the green pepper found in porra.
The name “porra” comes from the pestle, or “porra”, once used to pound the ingredients. This pounded mixture provided sustenance for farm workers and olive pickers since ancient times, and it was only after the conquest of the Americas that tomato and pepper were added to it.
Some food historians believe the forerunner of this dish is mazamorra, said to have been a staple food for Roman troops, with the soldiers themselves being true experts in this kind of pounded recipe.
Instructions
Peel the tomatoes.
Put them in a bowl along with the peppers and garlic, chopped into small pieces, the oil and the salt.
Blend everything, gradually adding the bread in chunks until you get a thick, dense paste.
Serve in individual bowls and garnish with boiled egg, tuna or serrano ham on top.
Curiosity
Every year in August since 2013, the city of Antequera has awarded a prize for the best preparation of Porra Antequerana. In the words of one of the jury members: “The tomato has to be red and tender, and if there is not much flesh to it you will need to add more, and if it is not red enough you can round it off with a red bell pepper.”
