An appetizer wins extra points with me if it has temperature flexibility, meaning I can serve it hot, cold or at room temperature. A thick-Spanish tortilla made with eggs, layers of tender-cooked potatoes, peppers chorizo, and sweet caramelized onions absolutely fills that requirements. Besides being an all-star party bite, it’s also excellent for picnics, potlucks, or a casual dinner, perhaps with a small green salad alongside. for party-perfect clean-edged pieces, refrigerate the whole tortilla after baking but before slicing. Cut it into wedges while it’s cold and then place the slices on a baking sheet and warm in a 300 degrees F, oven.
Serves 4
preparation time: 20 minutes (plus 10 minutes to rest)
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 large sweet onion, such as Maui or Vidalia, thinly sliced into rings
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 pound dry chorizo or salami, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
6 large eggs
2/3 cup whole milk
3 scallions (white and green parts), trimmed and finely chopped
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Add the sliced potatoes and cook until they are just tender about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. In a medium nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, season with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper and cook the onion until it is soft and starting to caramelize, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in the chorizo and garlic and cook until the sausage begins to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until eggs until they are pale yellow in color, about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk, scallions, cheese, the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir in the chorizo mixture, add the potatoes, gently stir to combine, and the mixture back into the pan. Place the pan in the oven and bake until the eggs are set and no longer watery in the center about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the tortilla rest in the pan for 10 minutes.
4. Place an upturned plate over the pan (make sure the plate is larger than the pan), carefully invert the tortilla onto the plate, and then slide the tortilla onto a cutting board. Slice the tortilla into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.
