Gluten Free Spanish Tortilla Recipe
It’s been said that in order to be able to entertain, one need only know how to make 10 recipes really well.
So what 10 recipes must one master? Well, I suppose that depends on your personal tastes, lifestyle, and resources (time, kitchen space, tools, etc.) It’s a matter of opinion really.
I’ve never been shy about doling out my opinion so here are some of the things I think one should master if one wants to be a good cook: roast chicken, flourless chocolate cake, mashed potatoes, tomato sauce, white sauce, vinaigrette (and a simple salad), roasted vegetables, risotto, and an egg dish such as an omelet, frittata, or Spanish tortilla.
While I love a great omelet, it is not ideal for entertaining; who wants to spend their time at a party flipping omelets? Frittatas and tortillas are an especially good thing to master for entertaining as they can be served for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, and even at cocktail parties and picnics.
Frittatas and tortillas are similar but not identical. Frittatas are Italian flat omelets, egg based dishes enriched with seasonings, vegetables, meats, or cheeses. It is sort of a crust less quiche – kind of perfect for gluten free entertaining. According to Wikipedia the word “frittata” is derived from Italian and roughly translates to “egg-cake”.
Spanish tortillas are very similar except they are potato and egg based. I love both frittatas and Spanish tortillas but there is something about potatoes and eggs together that just makes me swoon.
Mastering the Spanish tortilla is not difficult. Here’s a few tips to get you on your way.
Low-starch potatoes work best – while any potato will do really, I like baby Yukon Golds best. The low starch content keeps them from falling apart when cooking.
Use good eggs – since potatoes and eggs are the star of this show, it is best to use the highest quality cage-free, pastured eggs you can get. I’m a big fan of Nature’s Yoke eggs.
Cut the potatoes into thin slices and try to keep them consistent in size – an eighth of an inch is ideal, thicker slices will take longer to cook and will leave you with a dry, rubbery tortilla.
A deep, nonstick pan helps. I have a really well seasoned cast iron skillet which is essentially nonstick. But if you don’t possess such a jewel, a regular non-stick pan is great – it will help you get the tortilla out of the pan with ease come serving time.
Low and slow cooking is best – once your potatoes and onions (and whatever else you have in there besides the eggs) are fully cooked, lower the heat and cook the eggs gently, pulling the edges of the mixture to the center as they cook to allow the uncooked eggs to run underneath. Again, this will keep the tortilla from becoming rubbery.
Finish off in the broiler – once the eggs are fairly set, place your skillet under the broiler for a couple minutes until the eggs are fully set and the tortilla is golden and slightly puffed.
Besides eggs, potatoes and onions, whatever else you add to your tortilla is up to your imagination and what you have on hand. I love adding chorizo to my Spanish tortillas but ironically, I prefer using Mexican chorizo over Spanish. Spanish chorizo is a cured, hard sausage made from pork and spices. Mexican chorizo is fresh – uncured. It is basically uncooked, seasoned ground meat in a casing. I take it out of the casing and fry it like ground beef, I find that it is easier to eat a tortilla made with Mexican chorizo as the Spanish variety can be harder to chew in this recipe.
Gluten Free Spanish Tortilla Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound Mexican chorizo
- 1½ pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes sliced 1/8 inch thick
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 small red onion thinly sliced
- 12 large cage free pastured eggs, lightly beaten
- 4 ounces soft goat cheese crumbled or cut into small pieces
Instructions
- Remove the casings from the chorizo and place in a 12 inch nonstick, oven-proof skillet. Cook over medium heat until the sausage is fully cooked and has rendered its fat. With a slotted spoon, remove the cooked sausage and drain on paper towels.
- Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the skillet, add the potatoes and a large pinch of salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for ten minutes, gently stirring occasionally. You want the potatoes to cook through but not brown, if they start to brown, reduce the heat. Add the onions and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the onions are soft and the potatoes are fork tender and just starting to brown.
- Reduce heat to low, pour in the chorizo, the beaten eggs and goat cheese and gently pull the edges of the egg mixture to the center as it cooks so that any uncooked eggs run underneath.
- Preheat the broiler.
- Once the eggs are set around the edges and the mixture looks mostly cooked, place the skillet under the broiler for 2 – 3 minutes or until the eggs are fully set and the tortilla is golden and slightly puffed.
- Run a dinner knife around the edges of the tortilla to loosen it and slide onto a serving plate or cutting bard. The tortilla can be served hot, warm, at room temperature, or cold.
- Cut into wedges and serve.
Nutrition
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Is this recipe safe for diabetics?
Hi Melissa,
Unfortunately I can’t answer that question for you. You would have to seek the opinion of a health/medical professional, for your own safety.
I can tell you that it’s tasty and easy!
xo,
Carol
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