PlatosTradicionales

Traditional Spanish Dishes

How to Make Moje, a Traditional Recipe from Spain

The Murcian moje brings together juicy tomato, tuna, hard-boiled egg, onion, and olives in a simple, fresh Mediterranean salad perfect for sharing with bread.

Murcian moje served in a bowl with tomato, tuna, hard-boiled egg, onion, and black olives
Preparation20 min
Cooking10 min
Total30 min
Servings4
DifficultyEasy

Prepare this classic of Murcian cuisine at home with simple ingredients and a dressing of olive oil and vinegar. Letting it rest allows all the flavors to integrate and the tomato to provide an irresistible juice.

01

Ingredients

Have everything ready before you begin.

  • ✓800 g of whole peeled canned tomato
  • ✓2 cans of tuna in oil, about 120 g each
  • ✓4 eggs
  • ✓1 medium tender onion
  • ✓100 g of black olives
  • ✓6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • ✓1 tablespoon of wine vinegar
  • ✓Salt to taste

02

Step-by-step method

  1. 01
    Cook the eggs: How to Make Moje, a Traditional Recipe from Spain

    Cook the eggs

    Place the four eggs in a saucepan, cover them with cold water, and bring the water to a boil. Count 10 minutes from when it starts boiling. Cool them under the tap or in cold water, peel them when they are lukewarm, and set them aside.

  2. 02
    Chop the tomatoes: How to Make Moje, a Traditional Recipe from Spain

    Chop the tomatoes

    Drain the tomatoes slightly, preserving part of their juice. Put them in a large bowl and cut them with a knife or scissors, keeping visible pieces instead of crushing them.

  3. 03
    Prepare the onion: How to Make Moje, a Traditional Recipe from Spain

    Prepare the onion

    Peel the tender onion and cut it into fine feathers. If it is intense, leave it for 5 minutes in cold water and drain it. Add it to the tomato and mix gently.

  4. 04
    Add the tuna: How to Make Moje, a Traditional Recipe from Spain

    Add the tuna

    Drain only the excess oil from the cans. Break the tuna into medium pieces and add it to the mixture, stirring gently to keep the ingredients differentiated.

  5. 05
    Mix the dressing: How to Make Moje, a Traditional Recipe from Spain

    Mix the dressing

    Combine the olive oil, vinegar, and salt to taste in a glass. Beat with a fork for a few seconds to distribute the vinegar through the oil.

  6. 06
    Season the salad: How to Make Moje, a Traditional Recipe from Spain

    Season the salad

    Pour the dressing over the tomato, onion, and tuna. Stir from the bottom up to integrate the tomato juice with the oil and vinegar. Adjust the acidity or salt only if necessary.

  7. 07
    Add eggs and olives: How to Make Moje, a Traditional Recipe from Spain

    Add eggs and olives

    Cut the eggs into quarters or large pieces. Add them along with the black olives and mix one last time with smooth movements to avoid breaking the yolks.

  8. 08
    Let it rest: How to Make Moje, a Traditional Recipe from Spain

    Let it rest

    Taste the moje and correct the salt if necessary. Cover it and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Take it out between 10 and 15 minutes before serving.

  9. 09
    Present and serve: How to Make Moje, a Traditional Recipe from Spain

    Present and serve

    Transfer the moje to a clay bowl or a large plate. Distribute the egg quarters and some olives on top, and serve with rustic bread.

Cooking tip
  • Let the moje rest for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to mix.
  • Drain the tomato only slightly to preserve its juice.
  • Serve with rustic bread to take advantage of the dressing.
  • You can use fresh ripe tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes; remove the stem and cut them into wedges or medium-sized dice.
  • You can also substitute the tuna with desalted and shredded cod, controlling the amount of salt especially.
  • If you can't find tender onion, use finely chopped dry onion and soften it previously in cold water.