Migas Sanluneras
"Se echan á remojar birotes frios y cuando ya estén bien remojados, se pone en una cazuela bastante manteca donde se frién unos dientes de ajo machacados y se echan ahí los birotes remojados agregándoles venas de chile, una rama de hepazote, una poca de agua y sal suficiente y se hacen hervir, meneándolas á fin de que el pan se deshaga."
English Translation
"Soak stale bread rolls and, once they are well soaked, put them in a pot with plenty of lard in which some crushed garlic cloves have been fried. Add the soaked bread rolls, along with chili veins, a sprig of epazote, a little water, and enough salt. Bring to a boil, stirring so that the bread breaks apart."
Note on the Original Text
Historical recipes like this one are written with brevity and an expectation of the reader's practical kitchen knowledge—quantities are imprecise, measurements are assumed, and steps are condensed. 'Birotes' refers to the local term for crusty bread rolls in western Mexico—bolillo is a close equivalent today. The spelling 'hepazote' is an archaic rendering of 'epazote,' and 'venas de chile' specifies the inner veins and seeds, which contribute heat and depth. The recipe’s style is informal, conversational, and assumes cooks know to adjust salt and water according to need, a common thread in home cookery instructions of the time.
Title
La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 2 (1890)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Antonio Vanegas Arroyo
Era
1890
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A charming pocket-sized volume from the 'Cocina en el Bolsillo' series, brimming with delightful recipes for a variety of foods and offering a flavorful glimpse into historical culinary traditions.
Kindly made available by
University of Texas at San Antonio
This recipe, titled 'Migas Sanlunas,' hails from an 1890 Mexican cookbook, 'La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 2,' published by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo. During the late 19th century, cookery pamphlets like this were widely circulated among urban households in Mexico City, helping home cooks stretch their ingredients and reduce food waste—a necessity in households where nothing was thrown away lightly. 'Migas,' meaning 'crumbs,' refers to dishes made from repurposed stale bread, a tradition throughout Spain and Latin America but with bold regional Mexican flavors here thanks to lard, garlic, chilies, and the native herb epazote. It reflects a thrifty, homely, and deeply local take on comfort food of the era.
In the late 19th century, the recipe would have been made in a clay cazuela or a heavy tin or copper pan over a wood or charcoal fire. Cooks used wooden spoons for stirring, and pestles or large knives to crush garlic. Bread would have been hand-torn, and herbs plucked fresh from the market or home garden. The process was hands-on, requiring constant stirring over an open flame to ensure the bread did not stick to the pot, as well as careful control of the heat for the delicate frying of garlic and melding of flavors.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Servings
4
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 14 oz stale bread rolls (such as bolillo or baguette)
- 1/2 cup water (for cooking, plus more for soaking bread)
- 1/4 cup lard (or vegetable oil as substitute)
- 3 cloves garlic (crushed)
- Veins and seeds from 2 dried chilies (or 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes as substitute)
- 0.2 oz fresh epazote (or substitute with cilantro if unavailable, though flavor will differ)
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Begin by soaking about 14 ounces of stale, crusty bread rolls (such as 2 medium bolillos or baguettes) in water until they're thoroughly softened.
- In a deep skillet or pot, heat around 1/4 cup (about 2 ounces or 4 tablespoons) of lard, or use vegetable oil if you prefer.
- Add 3 cloves of garlic, lightly crushed, and fry until fragrant but not browned.
- Squeeze excess water from the soaked bread and add it to the pan.
- Sprinkle in veins and seeds from 2 dried chilies (such as guajillo or ancho for mild heat, or arbol for a kick); if chili veins are unavailable, use a pinch of chili flakes.
- Toss in a small sprig of fresh epazote (about 0.2 ounces), pour in a splash of water (about 1/2 cup), and season with salt to taste.
- Stir and mash the mixture gently as it cooks, simmering until the bread breaks down and forms a soft, thick porridge.
- Stir constantly to prevent sticking, then serve hot.
Estimated Calories
280 per serving
Cooking Estimates
We soak the bread for about 10 minutes and chop the epazote and garlic while waiting. Cooking takes around 20 minutes, including heating the fat, frying garlic, and simmering the bread mixture. Each hearty serving is about 280 calories, making 4 servings in total.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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