Cuisine of the Spanish Central Plains

Castille, Leon, Extremadura, La Mancha and Madrid comprise the Spanish Central Plains region. The use of legumes, such as chick peas and lentils, is native to the region. Other important food elements are the many pork products, includings the region’s hearty morcilla sausage. At Agua Ardiente, the Crujiente de Morcilla is one of the tapas most preferred by our clients. The desserts we offer -- created in part with ingredients such as egg yolk and hojaldre (puff pastry) -- well represent the Central Plains, an area with a strong Arab heritage.

In his famous novel El Quijote, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra mentions the cooking of “olla y salpicon” , which originates in the La Mancha region. The use of saffron and the world famous queso manchego (sheep cheese) also contribute to the gastronomic delights of this region.

At Agua Ardiente, we present tender lamb roasts, savory gazpachos, cold pickled food (escabeches), mushrooms, leeks and other fresh, aromatic products that are indigenous to this special sheep herding region.