Formentera's cuisine was born of the poverty of an arid island, where for centuries people lived from fishing, difficult farming and raising pigs, goats and sheep. It shares many dishes with Ibiza.
Typical dishes
- Peix sec, the signature dish: fish, mainly ray and dogfish, dried for weeks in the sun and wind on juniper branches, then shredded.
- Ensalada payesa, the farmer's salad with potatoes, peppers, tomato, onion and peix sec, dressed with oil.
- Guisat de peix, a fish and potato stew, followed by rice cooked in the broth, arròs a banda.
- Frit de polp, octopus sautéed with potatoes, peppers and garlic, and frit de matances, with pork meat and offal.
- Arròs de matances, the rice of pig-slaughter day, with pork, chicken and mushrooms.
- Sobrassada and botifarra, pork sausages.
- Fresh goat's and sheep's cheese.
- Spiny lobster and rockfish, highly prized and fairly expensive.
Sweets
- Flaó, a cake of fresh cheese, eggs and mint, typical at Easter.
- Greixonera, a pudding made from leftover ensaïmada, eggs, milk and cinnamon.
- Orelletes, thin aniseed fritters.
- Dried figs, once a staple food.
To drink
The island produces wine under the Vi de la Terra Formentera label, from vines grown on sandy, windy soils. The typical liqueur is herbes, made with aniseed and aromatic herbs, found across the Pityusic Islands.
Where to eat
The beaches have beach bars and seafood restaurants, often pricey, especially at Ses Illetes. Village restaurants in Sant Francesc, Sant Ferran and El Pilar de la Mola more often serve traditional food. Book for paella and fish, especially at sunset.