Zarza de patitas (or sarza de patitas) is a traditional Peruvian dish made with pig’s trotters slow-cooked until tender, marinated, and served with a fresh tomato, onion, and rocoto salsa. It’s especially popular in Cusco and in Arequipa’s picanterías.
It requires a long simmer of the trotters so the meat falls off the bone, followed by marinating and mixing with the fresh salsa.
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Peruvian Zarza de Patitas
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Total Time: 3 hours 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Peruvian
Description
Peruvian preparation featuring patitas de cerdo cocidas, adapted for a home kitchen with clear measurements.
Ingredients
- 1 kg pig’s trotters
- 1 onion, half whole and half sliced
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- Whole peppercorns, to taste
- A few mint sprigs
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 60 ml vinegar
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 rocoto chile, veins or chopped
- Chopped parsley, to taste
- Salt to taste
Preparation
- Cook the trotters, place the pig’s trotters in water with half an onion, garlic, bay leaf, pepper, and mint, and cook for 3 hours until the meat falls off the bone.
- Marinate, once warm, season the trotters with salt, pepper, half the vinegar, and rocoto veins. Let marinate for 30 minutes.
- Make the salsa, mix the tomato with the remaining onion, sliced thin, and season with the remaining vinegar and oil.
- Combine everything, stir in the parsley and chopped rocoto into the salsa.
- Serve, serve the marinated trotters topped with the salsa, with sliced potato on the side.
Chef’s Tips
- Cook the trotters over low heat and be patient to get the right texture.
- Remove the rocoto veins for a milder heat.
- Let it marinate for the full time so the trotters fully absorb the flavor.
Traditional Variations
Some Cusco families add chopped mint to the final salsa for a fresher touch.
There are also versions that use beef trotters instead of pork, with a similar cooking time.
How to Serve
Serve cold or at room temperature, as a starter or snack, with sliced potato on the side, at Cusco and Arequipa picanterías.
Recommended Pairings
- Sliced potato
- Corn on the cob
- Homemade bread
Did You Know?
Pig’s trotters are rich in collagen, a protein that contributes to skin elasticity and joint health, and their culinary use reflects the Peruvian tradition of not wasting any part of the animal.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's an Andean Peruvian stew made with beef trotters cooked until tender and then sautéed in an onion, tomato, and chile relish.
Trotters need long cooking, usually several hours on low heat or in a pressure cooker, until the meat and gelatin become tender.
It's usually served with boiled potato or mote, following the style of meat-based zarzas in Andean cuisine.
