South of the Border
This traditional Spanish tortilla recipe takes inspiration from the rustic peasant dish to create an eggy casserole that’s started on the stovetop and finished under the broiler. Roasted red peppers, slices of spicy chorizo sausage and bubbling manchego cheese give this dish all the savory qualities of your favorite pizza without an overload of refined carbohydrates. It’s a convenient and easy weeknight supper and will be just as good if you substitute your favorite cheese or sausage for the Spanish ingredients.
Serves 4
Instructions
- Rub a little olive oil over the peppers and place on a baking sheet under the broiler, close to the heat.
- Cook, turning every 8 minutes until the skin is blackened and blistered evenly. Do not overcook to the point that the peppers collapse and turn mushy. Alternatively, they can be roasted on a hot grill or held with tongs over the flame of a gas stovetop.
- Place the roasted peppers in a heatproof bowl and cover with plastic wrap, allowing them to steam until cool enough to handle.
- Peel off the skins, remove the stems and scrape out the seeds. Chop the roasted peppers into bite-sized pieces and set aside. These can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight before cooking the tortilla.
- Place the potatoes in a large pot of water and bring to a boil, cooking just until tender. Drain the potatoes and once cool enough to handle, slice into bite-sized pieces. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and set aside.
- Now make the tortilla. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high in a large, highsided, oven-safe skillet or cast-iron pan. Add the chorizo and cook for 1 minute.
- Flip the slices and add the saffron, peppers and potatoes. Stir and cook over medium heat for 1 min.
- Beat the eggs with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pour all over the mixture in the skillet. Gently stir to evenly distribute the ingredients.
- Turn the heat to medium-low and cook the tortilla for 8 minutes, until the bottom is golden brown and the edges begin to set, pulling away from the sides of the skillet. Cook the tortilla gently to avoid burning the bottom. While the tortilla cooks, turn on the broiler.
- Following the 8 minutes on the stovetop, sprinkle the cheese over the tortilla and transfer the skillet to the top rack of the oven under the broiler. Allow to cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the eggs are puffed up and set. It’s very easy to overcook the tortilla, resulting in a tough, dry texture, so monitor carefully.
The tortilla is best served warm from the oven with ketchup, but a little slice of leftover tortilla heated briefly in the microwave the next day is a nice treat.
Ingredients
1 tbsp. olive oil, plus a little extra for roasting the peppers
2 red bell peppers
8 oz. boiling potatoes, such as Yukon Gold or new potatoes
4 oz. (1 cup) chorizo, sliced
1 pinch saffron threads
6 large eggs
1 oz. (1/2 cup) grated manchego cheese
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Nutrition Facts Per Serving
(Does not include ketchup)!
Calories – 285
Total Fat – 15.5 g
Saturated Fat – 5 g
Cholesterol – 280 mg
Sodium – 491 mg
Total Carbohydrates – 15.5 g
Dietary Fiber – 3.5 g
Sugars – 4 g
Protein – 20 g