Spanish Tortilla

 

This simple dish of eggs and potatoes is a staple on all tapas tables. It also makes a wonderful brunch dish. I have added chorizo sausage and cheese to the mix for added protein and taste. Manchego cheese is a Spanish sheep’s cheese with a pronounced taste that marries well with potatoes. Tortilla tastes best at room temperature or very slightly warm, making it an ideal dish to serve to company without worrying about the food growing cold. Serve with a large green salad that includes roasted red peppers, tomatoes and toasted almonds.

  • 3 large Yukon Gold potatoes
  • Olive oil
  • 1/2 cup sliced onion
  • 2 oz. finely chopped mild or spicy chorizo sausage, casing removed
  • 3/4 cup grated Manchego cheese
  • 6 eggs, well beaten with 1/4 cup light cream
  • Kosher salt and pepper to taste
  • Smoked paprika

On the day of cooking or the day before, peel the potatoes and boil them whole, in salted water, for 10 minutes. Let the potatoes cool. Slice them evenly with a mandolin on the thin setting, or with a sharp knife.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Put a thin film of olive oil in a 10-inch cast iron pan, making sure to coat the sides of the pan as well. Sauté the onions over medium heat until they are soft, and start to turn golden. Remove from the pan. Add the chorizo and sauté until the sausage starts to release some of its oil and turns slightly crisp. Remove from the pan. Add one layer of potatoes to the hot pan, salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle some of the onions, chorizo and Manchego cheese over the potatoes. Repeat two more times, ending with a layer of potatoes. Bring the heat down to low, cover and cook for about 10 minutes until the potatoes are soft to the point of a knife. Be careful not to burn the bottom of the potato cake.

Once the potatoes are cooked, pour the egg mixture over, lifting the potatoes to let the eggs flow underneath. Cook on low heat for 2 minutes. Add a thin layer of grated cheese and sprinkle lightly with smoked paprika.

Place the pan in the preheated oven. Bake for about 15 minutes until the eggs are set. Remove from the oven and let the tortilla rest until it reaches room temperature, about 30 minutes. Run a knife all around the tortilla to loosen it. Put a plate over the pan and turn it upside down until the tortilla slips onto the plate. Turn again onto another plate, so as to have the top showing. Cut into four slices.

Makes 4 servings.