Three traditional bakery products, three different histories and a shared place in Ibiza's gastronomic culture. The ensaimada, llonguet and galleta forta took centre stage at a breadmaking workshop held at the Escola d’Hoteleria de les Illes Balears in Sa Coma on Tuesday, 10 November 2026.

Led by breadmaking specialist and food writer Ibán Yarza and Estela Riera of Forn Can Coves, the session explored how different baking techniques, historical influences and everyday needs have shaped the breads and pastries that remain familiar in Ibiza today.

The workshop formed part of a course dedicated to Ibizan cooking and gastronomic culture, combining practical preparation with explanations of the origins and characteristics of each product.

Ensaimada: A Mallorcan Pastry with Generations of History in Ibiza

The session began with the baking of ensaimadas prepared the previous day. The dough had undergone approximately 24 hours of fermentation, an important stage in producing the pastry's characteristic texture.

Although the ensaimada originated in Mallorca, it has been made in Ibiza for generations and has become a familiar part of the island's bakery tradition.

Its preparation requires considerable care. Bakers stretch the dough into an exceptionally thin sheet, spread it with fat, roll it and lengthen it before arranging it into the distinctive spiral shape.

During the workshop, Estela Riera explained the skill involved in stretching the dough without tearing it, highlighting the hands-on techniques that remain essential to traditional pastry making.

The ensaimada demonstrates how a product originating on one Balearic island can become established in the culinary traditions of another while retaining its recognisable identity.

Llonguet: The White Bread Once Associated with Wealth

The second product explored during the session was the llonguet, a bread with Catalan origins that has developed its own characteristics in Ibiza.

Ibán Yarza described the Ibizan version as distinct from those found in Mallorca and Catalonia, illustrating how traditional recipes can evolve differently between regions.

Prepared with white flour and milk, the bread is known for its soft, fine crumb and distinctive shaping technique.

The discussion also explored the social history of white bread.

In earlier generations, bread made from refined white flour was associated with greater purchasing power. Families with fewer resources generally consumed darker breads made from less refined flour, while white bread could represent a more desirable or prestigious food.

Riera recalled her grandfather's appreciation of white bread and contrasted it with her own affection for traditional pa pagès, which reminds her of her childhood, family and home.

The comparison offered an insight into how attitudes towards bread have changed over time. Products once valued for their refinement now sit alongside renewed appreciation for older, more rustic baking traditions.

Galleta Forta: Ibiza's Traditional Seafaring Biscuit

The third product was the galleta forta, a traditional Ibizan biscuit closely associated with the island's maritime past.

Also described as a seafarer's biscuit, it was designed to withstand extended periods of storage. Prolonged baking removed much of the moisture from the dough, producing a dry, firm food that could be carried on lengthy sea journeys.

This practical method of preservation reflects a time when keeping food edible during travel was particularly important.

During the workshop, Yarza demonstrated an unexpected similarity between galleta forta and pita bread.

Both can be prepared from comparable doughs, but the treatment before baking produces markedly different results.

The dough for galleta forta is pierced before entering the oven, preventing it from expanding. Pita dough, by contrast, is allowed to inflate during baking, creating its familiar pocket-like structure.

To illustrate the difference, participants baked a piece of galleta forta dough without piercing it. The dough expanded in a way similar to pita bread.

The demonstration showed how a relatively small change in preparation can transform the final texture and structure of a baked product.

Connections Between Ibiza and Other Breadmaking Traditions

Yarza also discussed similarities between Ibizan baking and traditions found elsewhere in the Mediterranean and beyond.

He compared the techniques used for galleta forta with those associated with breads in the Middle East, Asia Minor and Central Asia.

Another comparison involved the flatbreads traditionally used to prepare gazpachos manchegos in the Albacete area. These are baked, dried and later broken into pieces for use in the dish.

The session also explored historical vertical ovens, known as tandor or tanur, in which dough was attached to the heated walls for baking.

Yarza referred to their use in historical periods including the Phoenician era and al-Andalus, while observing that evidence of these particular baking techniques has not survived in Ibiza.

These comparisons illustrated how communities in different regions have developed related approaches to working with flour, water and heat.

They also highlighted an important distinction between similarities in baking techniques and the precise historical origins of individual recipes.

Preserving Ibiza's Culinary Heritage Through Traditional Baking

The workshop was part of a two-day exploration of Ibiza's breadmaking heritage.

The previous session, held on Monday, 9 November, focused on pa pagès, crostes and xeixa wheat, examining products and ingredients closely associated with traditional island cooking.

Together, the sessions demonstrated that bread and pastry making offer more than an opportunity to learn recipes.

The ingredients, preparation methods and cultural meanings of each product reveal how Ibiza's food traditions have been shaped by rural life, maritime activity, economic circumstances and connections with other regions.

From the delicate spiral of an ensaimada to the soft crumb of a llonguet and the long-lasting texture of a galleta forta, these traditional foods continue to reflect different chapters of the island's gastronomic history.

Their preservation depends not only on keeping the recipes alive, but also on passing the knowledge and techniques behind them to future generations.