The following highlights some of the popular Traditional Gibraltarian Foods. If you manage to be in an Gibraltarian restaurant or you are visiting Gibraltar, I recommend the following:
1. Menestra de Verduras
Vegetable stew is a Spanish dish that some would say is versatile and can be served as a side dish, soup or stew depending on how it is prepared. The dish itself is simple: packed with fresh seasonal vegetables such as asparagus, peas, artichokes, broad beans, olives, potatoes, white beans, radishes or onions. Chunks of serrano ham are often added to the pot for extra flavour. The stew is best served warm, preferably in the cooler spring or summer months.
2. Profiteroles
These are puff pastry balls filled with the typical sweet cream, custard or pastry cream. They are usually decorated with chocolate sauce. The original meaning of the name profiterol is unknown, but it meant a roll ‘baked under the ashes’. Profiteroles are the national dish of Gibraltar, which means that they are often served at festivals and celebrations.
3. Rolitos
These are Gibraltarian meat dishes and consist of a mixture of chopped olives, hard-boiled eggs, bacon or ham, vegetables, breadcrumbs, garlic, herbs and spices tightly wrapped in thin slices of beef. Once the beef rolls are assembled, they are usually served with teriyaki (a combination of mixed vegetables). The beef can be substituted with pork or chicken, and the strudel can be alternatively fried or grilled.
4. Torta de Acelga
This wonderful cake is a Gibraltarian classic and is available all year round, but not to be missed at Christmas and Easter. Traditionally served at room temperature or chilled, this pie makes an excellent party food! This is a delicious and hearty dish that is most often enjoyed as a snack or side dish.
5. Rosto
This is a popular local pasta dish consisting of pasta in tomato sauce, beef or sometimes pork, mushrooms and carrots (and other vegetables according to family tradition) and topped with grated cheese balls. The origin of its name is unknown, but one theory suggests that it derives from the Italian word ‘arrosto’ (roast), because roast pork-like dishes are also eaten in Italy.
6. Calentita
This is a crepe-like dish, the Italian farinata, also called faina in Genoa and in some Spanish-speaking countries. It is made from chickpea flour, water, olive oil, salt and pepper. The word calentita is an informal abbreviation of the Spanish word caliente, meaning “nice and hot” (or warm).
7. Fideos al Horno
Is a fried pasta dish very similar to Greek pastitsio, consisting of pasta, meat sauce and various other ingredients such as eggs and bacon, which vary according to family tradition. The pasta is usually covered with a layer of grated cheese or béchamel, which melts during cooking and helps to bind it together. Although the main ingredient in this dish is pasta, the name “fideos al horno” actually means “baked noodles” in Spanish.
8. Bollo de Hornasso
This is a sweet bread that looks like an oven. It is made from leavened flour, sugar, eggs, butter or margarine and aniseed. Hornassobrød is eaten at Easter, but is also popular at Christmas. Gibraltar ovens can often be distinguished from the original Spanish ovens by the fact that they are not usually decorated with a hard-boiled egg. It is usually glazed with beaten egg and sometimes decorated with hundreds or thousands.
9. Pan de Nueces
Bread is an indispensable food on the table in almost every country in the world. It is prepared differently in different cultures and served differently in different regions, but it is always based on the same thing: flour, water and oil. This nut bread snack is simple and natural. The bread is perfect with cheeses and sausages, as well as stews and roasts.
10. Japonesa
It is a baked or fried sweet doughnut filled with a creamy custard filling. Japanese” is usually enjoyed at tea time or as a snack. Traditionally, they are covered with syrup or granulated sugar. The name is a reference to the Japanese dorayaki cake, which has a similar shape and a sweet filling.
If you found this list useful, here are some more Traditional European Foods to try out on my Pinterest channel.