Spanish cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Almogrote Gomero

A spicy cheese spread from La Gomera made from hard goat cheese, garlic and paprika, worked into a smooth paste with olive oil.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 250 g hard goat cheese
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 dried choricero pepper (or paprika paste)
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp hot paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• 120 ml olive oil
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 baguette
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Deseed the dried choricero pepper and soak in hot water for 20 min, then scrape the flesh off the skin with a spoon (or use 1 tbsp paprika paste instead).
2. Finely grate the goat cheese — it should be dry enough to crumble rather than smear.
3. Pound the garlic with the cumin and a pinch of salt in a mortar into a smooth paste.
4. Combine the cheese, garlic paste, choricero flesh and both paprikas in the mortar or a blender, gradually working in the olive oil until a thick, spreadable paste forms.
5. Season with the white wine vinegar, pepper and a little salt — the cheese already brings plenty of salt — and let rest chilled for 30 min.
6. Slice the baguette, toast briefly and spread the almogrote on thickly at room temperature.