Gofio

Gofio is optional, but it is not necessary 🤪.

Given the steep, rocky slopes that are difficult to cultivate and the long, arduous journeys from village to village, it is not surprising that something like gofio came about.

Gofio is a food obtained by grinding roasted grain, with or without the addition of sea salt. Occasionally, gofio also contains pulses, which are subjected to the same treatment as the grain.

It is considered the most important plant-based food of the Ancient Canarians, the first inhabitants of the Canary Islands (winter barley thrives in dry areas, even in salty soil, and produces higher yields than wheat, for example).

The raw materials were roasted in clay jars, ground in hand mills and eaten mixed with goat's milk, goat's cheese or fat. The prior roasting means that the flour is drier and has a better shelf life, and the dough can be eaten without further baking or cooking.

Even after the Kingdom of Castile conquered the islands in the 15th century, gofio remained an important part of the diet, particularly of the rural population.

Gofio is eaten raw or mixed with water as porridge or in soups. It can be made into bread with baking flour.

The same product is a traditional staple food in Tibet under the name tsampa. A similar food made from roasted corn flour called farina bóna is eaten in the Swiss canton of Ticino. Green spelt, spelt harvested when half-ripe, is also dried over a fire and is used as a long-lasting food with a special roasted aroma.

I ate it in the form of a cold meatball, but it wasn't tasty, so: skip it!En savoir plus