Tortilla Española
The Spanish Tortilla isn’t something you make for tacos. Instead, it’s a savory, creamy and very tasty egg dish, or pie really, loaded with great things like garlic, peppers, potatoes and cheese. Think frittata.
Tortilla Española combined with the popular Spanish condiment Romesco Sauce, pair perfectly with Tempranillo and during the recent Vino in the Village event here in Seattle, I found the perfect wine from Longship Cellars (more on the pairing below). When great food and wine are matched well, there is a certain alchemy that takes place and each beautifully compliments the other. This tortilla and the Tempranillo were the among the favorites of the evening.
Tortilla is easy to make at home and the Longship Tempranillo is pretty easy to come by, too. Give them both a try!
- Olive oil
- ½ pound ground chorizo
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ red onion, diced
- 1 bunch green onions, minced
- 2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced
- ½ pound small red potatoes
- 7 eggs
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
- 1 cup feta cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- Start by boiling the potatoes in a large pot of salted water. Once a knife easily pierces the potatoes (approximately 10 minutes) drain and let sit until cool enough to handle. When cooled use a paper towel and rub off the skins, dice the potatoes and set aside.
- In a skillet brown the chorizo until it’s fully cooked and crumbly. Remove from pan and pour into a colander over a bowl, this will allow any extra grease to drain from the meat. Set aside to cool.
- Heat a large pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add in the garlic, green onions, red onion, and bell peppers. Sauté until everything has softened but not browned. Remove from heat and cool slightly, add in the diced potatoes and sausage.
- Grease an 8X10 baking pan with olive oil and line with parchment paper, grease the paper as well. Preheat oven to 375.
- Pour the vegetable mixture into the prepared pan and spread it out. Sprinkle with the feta and Parmesan.
- In a mixing bowl whisk together the sour cream and the eggs, season with the salt and pepper.
- Pour egg mixture over vegetable mixture and with a spoon or spatula gently mix so that the egg mixture incorporates thru all the vegetables. (If you feel it needs more egg, whisk a few more eggs and pour into pan and mix to incorporate).
- Sprinkle Parmesan on top of the tortilla and bake for 35-40 minutes, until puffed and golden and set in the middle.
- Remove from oven and let sit for until cool enough to handle, gently with the parchment paper lift out the tortilla, or gently invert. If you would like more color to the top you can place on a sheet pan and place under broiler.
- Let sit until completely cooled and then gently slice into desired size.
- 1 large red bell pepper, charred on the grill and skins removed, seeded and diced
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/3 cup toasted slivered almonds
- ¼ cup sherry vinegar
- 1 heaping teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
- ½ cup olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- Pulse all ingredients except olive oil in a food processor, once smooth slowly pulse in the olive oil until it comes together as a sauce.
Wine Pairing:
I created this recipe to pair with the great Tempranillo from Longship Cellars. This really is an amazing bottle of wine fully utilizing all that his Spanish grape has to offer.
The smokiness of the wine pairs perfectly with this tortilla when served with the Romesco Sauce. The spicy tannins work well with the creaminess of the tortilla, which you get from the addition of the feta. This wine seems young and I think it will continue to evolve and get more amazing, and at $28 a bottle, it’s a great value.
