Food has the remarkable ability to transport us, evoke cherished memories, and connect us to loved ones no longer present. For me, this recipe for Pisca Andina accomplishes all three, serving as a journey through my family’s history. I want to share this timeless recipe; a legacy passed down from my grandmother to my mother and now to me.
Pisca Andina is a traditional breakfast soup from the heart of the Venezuelan Andes, just like my paternal grandmother. The Andes region in Venezuela composed of the states of Tachira, Merida, and Trujillo is a distinct geographical and cultural part of the country. Its rugged mountain terrain kept the region isolated from the rest of the country for centuries; allowing it to develop almost independently. The region created its dialect, way of life, culture, and culinary tradition while forming deep ties with neighboring Colombia with whom trade and communications were more accessible at least until the mid-twentieth century.
Born in the small town of Capacho Viejo in Tachira, only 15 miles (25 kilometers) from the Colombian border, my grandma was the embodiment of a “gocha” a person from the Venezuelan Andes. Even though she left her native Andes in her early twenties, my grandmother carried her “gocha” spirit and distinctive accent wherever life took her.
I have many fond memories of eating Pisca Andina with Arepa at weekend brunches at my grandparents’ home during my teenage and young adult years. They were especially good on Sundays after a big night out. Even as an adult, every time I visited her in Miami she asked the sweet question, “Mijo, ¿le preparo una Pisquita?”. My answer was always the same, “¡Claro Abuela!”.
This soup is simple. Preparing it doesn’t require much more than chicken stock, potatoes, cilantro, green onions, and of course poached eggs. I know many versions add milk, but never in my family. I’ve been told that including milk is more common in other Andean states, but not in Tachira. The truth is that like many traditional recipes, variations abound, so feel free to be creative.
In memory of my beloved grandmother, I present her recipe for you to try and judge. Here’s how you can recreate the magic:
Pisca Andina – The Signature Breakfast Soup that Trascends Time
6
servings15
minutes30
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
1/2 gallon 1/2 gallon Chicken stock
3-5 3-5 Potatoes depending on size (approx. 600 grams or 1 1/2 pounds)
3 3 Garlic cloves
4 4 Green onions
6 6 Eggs (poached)
1/2 cup 1/2 Cilantro (chopped)
White Latino Cheese (Queso blanco semiduro or Palmita)
1 tbsp 1 tbsp Nata Criolla (Venezuelan heavy cream – optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Heat the stock in a large stock pot or dutch oven bring it almost to a boil
- Dice the potatoes into small cubes and simmer in the stock for about 15 minutes until tender. Finely chop the garlic, add it to the potatoes, and towards the end, add chopped green onions.
- To poach the eggs, take 2 cups of the stock into a smaller skillet and poach the eggs for 2 – 3 minutes until the whites are cooked but the yolks are still runny. Carefully remove the eggs and serve, repeating for each round.
- Serve Pisca Andina with Arepas, topped with cilantro, chunks of Venezuelan white cheese, and add a tablespoon of nata (optional) and savor the essence of the Venezuelan Andes.
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