Picada
4 servings
10 minutes
Picada is a traditional European paste used to enhance dishes with rich flavor and aroma. The roots of this sauce trace back to Mediterranean cuisine, where the combination of herbs, nuts, and spices creates a unique flavor profile. In this recipe, parsley and garlic add freshness and zest, saffron contributes refined spice, and roasted hazelnuts provide nutty depth. Olive oil binds all the ingredients together, creating a texturally rich paste. Picada is perfect for enhancing the flavors of meat and fish dishes as well as soups. It gives them a velvety texture, a hint of sweetness, and the aroma of fragrant herbs. This is not just a sauce but a little culinary secret that can transform a simple dish into a work of art.

1
Wrap the saffron stigmas in foil and lightly roast in a hot pan. Let cool.
- Saffron: 1 g
2
Place the peeled garlic and parsley leaves in a small bowl.
- Garlic: 1 clove
- Parsley: 25 g
3
Add roasted saffron.
- Saffron: 1 g
4
Pour olive oil.
- Extra virgin olive oil: 40 ml
5
Blend until it reaches a coarse paste consistency.
6
Add hazelnuts and continue grinding.
- Roasted hazelnuts: 35 g









