Oliagua is one of Menorca's most beloved traditional recipes — a humble, slow-cooked soup of tomatoes, peppers, onion and garlic, poured over thinly sliced stale bread and left to soak before serving. Think of it as Menorca's answer to Andalusian gazpacho, but warmer, rustier, and cooked over a low flame rather than blended cold.
The name itself tells you everything: oli means oil, aigua means water in Catalan — and this is a dish built on those two simple foundations, enriched with ripe summer tomatoes and good Spanish extra virgin olive oil. It's traditionally made in a clay pot (greixonera) and can be served warm or at room temperature. A handful of fresh figs added as a garnish is the classic Menorcan touch in late summer.
We make ours with Mis Raices organic extra virgin olive oil, whose mild, rounded flavour lets the vegetables shine without overpowering them.
We could say that due to its ingredients, this recipe could be considered the Balearic version -specifically from Menorca- of gazpacho, although unlike the traditional Andalusian cold soup, the Menorcan version has the peculiarity that it is served without grinding and that the ingredients go through the fire before reaching the table.
Ingredients for 4 people
- Ripe pear tomato 5
- Green pepper 1
- Garlic clove 2
- Sweet paprika a teaspoon
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Thinly sliced stale bread 12
- Water approx 500ml
- Fresh parsley a few sprigs
- Onion 1
- Extra virgin olive oil approx.
- 100ml Mis Raices olive oil
- Figs or figs (optional as a garnish)
- Chilli optional if you like it spicy
Heat a generous glug of Mis Raices olive oil in a clay pot or heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion (cut into julienne strips), the garlic cloves, the sliced green pepper and the peeled, roughly chopped tomatoes. Season with salt and a pinch of sweet paprika. Cook gently for around 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft and beginning to collapse.
Pour in the water and bring to a very gentle simmer — oliagua should never boil hard. Remove the garlic cloves and crush them in a mortar with a little of the broth, then return the mashed garlic to the pot. Stir in the chopped fresh parsley, reduce the heat to its lowest setting and cook for a further 20 minutes, adding a splash more water if needed.
To serve, lay thin slices of stale bread in the base of individual clay dishes or deep bowls. Ladle the hot soup over the bread and leave for 10 minutes to allow the bread to soak and soften. Serve warm or at room temperature. Garnish with fresh figs if in season, or a pinch of dried chilli for heat.