Pisto is one of the most traditional dishes in Spanish cuisine. If you think of this delicious dish, your taste buds will no doubt take you to La Mancha, Extremadura or Andalucia… but if you’re looking for somewhere to eat a good pisto in Alcalá de Henares, we have some good news: it’s possible.
Where to eat a good pisto without leaving Madrid
Restaurante 1888 is committed to honest cuisine that respects the ingredients, with a focus on refined techniques and preparation, and where seasonal, locally sourced, high-quality ingredients are of the utmost importance. All of this comes together in its famous signature dish: pisto cooked over embers, served with a fried egg and grilled chistorra sausage.
The recipe for the best pisto in Madrid
Chef Alfonso Sanz has created a very special recipe that has become one of the most popular dishes among visitors to Restaurante 1888 looking to enjoy a delicious pisto without leaving Madrid.
Tradition and innovation come together in a lengthy process in which every ingredient is chopped by hand. Once all the ingredients are prepared, the pisto is cooked in three stages, which gives it its distinctive and unique flavour. The first stage involves a high-heat blast in the oven. Next, everything is gently fried in a pan with top-quality extra virgin olive oil. And the final key step: it is left overnight in the charcoal oven, where it finishes cooking over the embers, whilst the sugars caramelise.
Sounds good, doesn’t it? Well, once you’ve tasted the unique and distinctive flavour of this pisto, you’ll understand why it’s so popular.
When to eat seasonal pisto
At Restaurante 1888, it’s pisto season all year round. It’s a dish that’s always on the menu, though it’s adapted to feature seasonal produce, which means you can also try different variations of pisto depending on the time of year you visit the restaurant.
Among these seasonal ingredients are anchovies, marinated in-house, grilled chistorra sausage, fried eggs and even Extremaduran-style Iberian potato stew – a particularly special dish as it evokes the homeland of the restaurant’s head chef.
An award-winning pisto in Madrid
It’s not just us who say that the pisto at Restaurante 1888 is one of the best in Madrid. This was clearly demonstrated at the 10th Alcalá de Henares Gastronomy Competition, held in May 2024, where Restaurante 1888’s pisto won second prize.mio.
Restaurante 1888 has already become a favourite with everyone who visits, as evidenced by some of the diners’ reviews. This unique dining venue in the centre of Alcalá de Henares is described, for example, as “an elegant, peaceful place with incredibly friendly staff, and unbeatable quality of ingredients and cuisine”.
But as always, hearing about it is no substitute for experiencing it for yourself, so we invite you to book your date and time now to discover the setting and menu at Restaurante 1888 and enjoy a dinner in the centre of Alcalá de Henares. You’re sure to come back for more. Bon appétit!
The legacy of Arab cuisine
Pisto has become a staple of Spanish cuisine like few other dishes, but the truth is that we have to go back to the 8th century to trace its history. During the period of Muslim rule in the Iberian Peninsula, the Arabs introduced a wealth of ingredients, recipes and culinary techniques to Al-Andalus, including the use of vegetables cooked with spices. One of the dishes made with these vegetables was alboronía, a stew of aubergines, courgettes and peppers cooked with honey and spices. For many historians, this is the origin of pisto.
In the centuries that followed, pisto as we know it today became popular in Castilla-La Mancha, Extremadura and Andalucia, using produce from the vegetable garden to feed farmers and shepherds. Until then, tomatoes were not included in pisto.
In 1492, following the discovery of the Americas, the tomato found its way into Spanish cuisine, and in the 18th century, pisto began to resemble the dish we know today, thanks to the tomato being added to the recipe.
And here’s an interesting fact… Did you know that the word ‘pisto’ comes from the Latin ‘pistare’, meaning to crush or grind, referring to the technique of cooking the vegetables until they are soft and well mixed? That’s what pisto is all about!
The essence of the Mediterranean diet
Pisto is a very versatile dish, as it can be eaten on its own or as a side dish to accompany another meal. Furthermore, as it is made mainly from vegetables, it is very popular with those looking for vegan or vegetarian dishes. It also perfectly embodies the values of the Mediterranean diet: fresh ingredients, simple preparation and an unmistakable flavour.
A dish steeped in history in Alcalá de Henares
And whilst in Alcalá de Henares, the city of Cervantes, we cannot deny that when *Don Quixote* mentions the diet of the peasants of La Mancha—based on vegetables, bread and olive oil—our thoughts immediately turn to our famous pisto.
As you can see, pisto isn’t just a delicious dish; it’s also a recipe steeped in history and tradition. Add to that history the avant-garde touch of Restaurante 1888, and the result is a pisto that you simply must try right now in Alcalá de Henares.
