Can you imagine eating a Madrid stew with your hands? This was chef Josean Merino’s goal when he created an appetizing donut-shaped trompe l’oeil. The idea arose when the hospitality group with origins in Vitoria Tabernas PerrotxiCo decided to expand its business to the capital in 2019. Since then, 50,000 units of this original pintxo have been sold per year, which has managed to become national runner-up in the Spanish Championship of stews of the XXI century.
The double-cooked donut emerges as a nod to Madrid cuisine from one of the country’s great masters of pintxos. It is a snack that fuses tradition and avant-garde made with ingredients typical of Basque gastronomy, such as Beasain blood sausage or Orbiso chickpeas. A recipe that has no secrets, since the method of preparation is very similar to that of the authentic Madrid stew.
This pintxo, now one of the most emblematic on the Tabernas PerretxiCo menu, is prepared from a classic Basque-style chickpea stew. Next, the vegetables and foodstuffs that replace those in the Madrid recipe are shredded, such as the blood sausage, the zancarrón, the chistorra and the blood sausages. Then all of this is poured into molds that go straight to the freezer.
For the donut, Josean Moreno has chosen a neutral, spongy and sweet-free dough, which is coated with the cooked mixture and fried before serving. The donut is then drizzled with a powerful glaze made with cream, bacon and ham bones that give the pintxo a mild smoky flavor. This daring creation is accompanied by a classic broth simmered for 16 hours that is served warm and, although the chef does not recommend it, many diners use it to spread their donuts.
The authentic cooked donut is prepared in the establishments that Tabernas Perretxico has throughout the country. The chain’s first establishment has been located on San Antonio de Vitoria street since 2013. The group landed in Madrid in 2019 and currently has five stores in the neighborhoods of Chamberí, Chueca and Cuzco, as well as on Narváez and Maria’s heart. Perretxico also has two other taverns in Santander and Logroño. In all of them you can taste this pintxo for a price of 8.50 euros.
