What are Formentera’s delights?

Our beloved Formentera enchants with its colors that captivate the eyes and the heart, with the scents of sea salt and wild nature… but also with the flavors of its traditional rustic and authentic gastronomy!
Local cuisine is based on the ingredients nature offers: the sea provides delicious fish and seafood, while the arid land yields fruits and vegetables that are wisely combined to create flavorful recipes.
So, what dishes can you absolutely not miss on the smallest of the Balearic Islands?

Let’s start with ensalada payesa, the quintessential dish that represents Formentera’s culinary tradition: it combines ingredients from both sea and land. The star is dried fish, hung by fishermen on trees and preserved in oil after being salted and cut into strips. It is mixed with boiled potatoes, peppers, onion, tomato, and hardened bread that softens with the salad dressing.
In addition to this dish, which you’ll find in nearly every restaurant on the island, you can also enjoy fried baby squid (chipirones), perfect as an appetizer. Although their ideal season is from September to December, you can still find them fresh in August. Enjoy them with a cold beer and you’ll experience pure pleasure!
Fish lovers shouldn’t miss frita de pulpo, a delicious stir-fry with octopus, potatoes, peppers, and onion, or calamares a la bruta, squid fried in their own ink: a dish as black as night will arrive at your table, but with an incredible flavor! If you prefer something lighter, go for bullit de peix, a simple yet delicious fish stew.
If meat is your thing, don’t miss out on jamón de pata negra, considered a true delicacy in Spain. Sourced from free-range pigs fed with cereals and acorns, it’s ideal for tapas or as a filling for classic sandwiches.
Among the heartiest dishes are frito de matanzas, typical in autumn during pig slaughter season when every part of the animal is used, and sofrit pagès, a flavorful sauté of meat, liver, and potatoes.
And for those with a sweet tooth? Flaó is the star: a fresh cheese tart flavored with mint. Also worth mentioning are bunyols, fried doughnuts with orange juice, and orelletes, anise-flavored puff pastries dusted with powdered sugar.
All of this should, of course, be accompanied by Formentera’s wines and liqueurs. Near Monte Mola you’ll find the island’s main vineyards, and the two best-known wineries – Terramoll and Es Cap de Barbaria – offer guided tours to discover the entire winemaking process.
Is your mouth watering already? Then… what are you waiting for? Come visit us!
Stay tuned! #casayentorno