Our land is rich in fruit and vegetable products produced in the fertile orchards irrigated by water from the Esperanza Spring. A wide variety of vegetables: lettuces, tomatoes (pink), broad beans, beans, peppers and cauliflowers, among others, and fruit trees that produce cherries, loquats, pears, plums and persimmons are the most common.

In the dry land, the Mediterranean cultivation of the olive tree is predominant, the extraction of its juice produces virgin olive oil. It is the star product that gives our dishes a very special touch. It is used raw as a salad dressing or in the typical “ajoaceite” that accompanies the famous “torrás” or to make “ajoaceite de palo”, a highly appreciated and tasty delicacy, in which the oil is mixed with cod, potato, egg, garlic and parsley. But it is also used in all meat, fish and rice stews, to which it gives that distinguished touch that is very characteristic of our cuisine. 

Meat and sausages are another of our quality products. The dry and cold winter climate favours the curing of sausages and hams, which are produced in a traditional way in the local shops. 

With all these components, essential for the preparation of a good dish, we can assure that Navajera’s cuisine is based on excellent produce. 

A typical dish is the “fritá del matapuerco” which is cooked in January for San Antón. The “torrá” is a very common dish in festive celebrations, usually eaten with family or friends, especially during the winter and Easter holidays. 

A wide variety of rice dishes are also made, such as baked rice, whose ingredients are: bacon, pork ribs, black pudding and chickpeas, adding the leftover broth from the stew, also called “arroz paseao” because in the past it was taken to the public oven. The “paella” made with chicken, rabbit and vegetables “bachoqueta” and “garrofón”, a dish made with firewood has a unique flavour. 

But the local dish par excellence is the “olla navajera”, made with pork, vegetables and pulses: cardoons, chard and beans, accompanied by potatoes. It is very consistent and very appropriate for the winter as it has a high energy value.

Desserts are a must, especially fresh seasonal fruit: cherries, loquats and persimmons. Quince is a fruit that is harvested from the end of September onwards and is used to make quince jam or “codoñate”. It is a very old and very typical dessert, traditionally made in the home by cooking the pulp of the fruit and adding sugar until a compact paste is obtained, which then hardens when cold and is cut into portions.

Other more elaborate products are baked sweets, made with flour and other ingredients such as almonds, which also come from the dry fields. A series of pastries such as “tortas cristinas”, “rosigones”, or “rollicos de anis” are outstanding in confectionery. 

Lastly, fritters made with dough and borage leaves, known as “buñuelos de hoja”, a very popular variant in Navajas, are also made with pumpkin added to the dough.