Migas Manchegas

Migas Manchegas belong to Castilla-La Mancha: stale candeal bread revived with salted water, then fried in garlic-and-pork fat until the crumbs are loose and golden. Chorizo and panceta make them substantial, while fresh grapes give the sweet, juicy bite that cuts through the salt. These are migas ruleras, made from bread, not the flour-and-water gachasmigas found in parts of the southeast.

The method that decides them is patient movement over steady, moderate heat. Moisten the bread evenly and let it rest so the water reaches the centre of every crumb. Then scrape, lift, and turn it without wandering off. The surface dries and browns while the middle stays tender. Too much heat burns the edges before the moisture escapes; too little leaves a heavy, damp mass.

If you can't find pan candeal, use a dense day-old white country loaf with a close crumb and mild flavour. Begin with slightly less water because a softer loaf drinks less, and avoid airy sourdough, which brings large leathery crusts and a tang the dish doesn't need. Choose a dry-cured chorizo seasoned with pimentón, not fresh chorizo, and use unsmoked pork belly if panceta curada is unavailable. The substitute will be gentler and less salty, but the migas will still be sound.

Serve them at once, with the grapes at room temperature and plenty within reach. The Margin beside this recipe says, "Do not walk away." Fair enough. The crumbs want your spoon for half an hour, and after that they ask nothing more. Siempre sale, si lo sigues, it turns out if you follow it.