Super Bowl LVI will take place on Sunday, February 13, 2022. With that in mind, let me launch into a deep discussion about snacks – since I am a foodie, after all, and will be entertaining friends on that sacred day.
The fun part about making snacks for the Big Game is that it’s just that – snacks. It’s not an elaborate meal like a 5-course dinner, but, rather, it’s about having different kinds of finger food for folks to munch on. In this case, as they watch the much-anticipated Game.
My all-time favorite snack is Spanish Tortilla. For those of you who have visited Spain, you will know what this is – because you can find it just about everywhere in that Country, be it a tapas bar, a restaurant, or as part of any hotel’s breakfast buffet.
And it’s the simplest thing to make, requiring only 6 ingredients: 3 starchy potatoes (about 1 lb. of small fingerling potatoes), 1 small onion, 6 large eggs, 5 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper.
Tortilla is the diminutive form of torta, meaning “small pancake”.
Here’s how to make a Spanish Tortilla in 5 easy steps:
- Peel and slice the potatoes thinly. Wash the slices and pat them dry with paper towels
- Peel and finely chop the onion
- In a non-stick frying pan (preferably with gently sloping sides), heat the olive oil and then add the potatoes and onions. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from frying pan using a slotted spoon, onto a plate with paper towels (to absorb the oil)
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with salt and pepper. Put the cooked potato/onion mixture into the whisked eggs and leave to soak for 15 minutes
- Wipe down the frying pan. Add the potato/onion/egg mixture to the pan and place on stovetop burner at low heat. Leave at low heat for about 8-10 minutes (make sure the bottom doesn’t burn). Give the pan a good shake to release the tortilla; if it isn’t loose, help it along with a spatula. The eggs should be a little jiggly and wet in the center. Place a plate that is at least as wide as the pan and has no rim on top of the frying pan and flip the tortilla over onto the plate. Slide it back into the frying pan on the other side and cook for another 5 minutes. It should be quite brown on both sides. Put aside for the Game
Spanish Tortilla can be eaten hot, warm, at room temperature or cold from the fridge. I like it at room temperature (and that’s typically how you eat it in Spain), but, quite frankly, it’s great at any temperature! And it will last several days in the fridge. Inexpensive and made with simple ingredients that most people have readily available at home, what more could you ask for?
Once you’ve made a classic Spanish Tortilla, the next time you may want to experiment by adding other ingredients to the beaten eggs, such as:
- Sauteed chorizo, bacon or cured ham
- Sauteed vegetables, such as asparagus, string beans, sliced mushrooms or zucchini (all of which cook faster than potatoes)
- Grated or diced cheese, such as Manchego, sharp Cheddar, Parmesan, or crumbled feta or Roquefort
- Chopped fresh herbs, such as thyme, basil or parsley
I’ll definitely have a classic Spanish Tortilla in the fridge ready for the Super Bowl. Go ahead, try my recipe and let me know how it turned out for you.
Other than the simplicity and low cost of the Spanish Tortilla, another thing I like about this heavenly dish is that it’s actually a pretty healthy snack that combines a protein with a complex carbohydrate. And – I can pronounce each-and-every ingredient (I like knowing what I’m eating). And, for me, any kind of egg-based dish always fills me up, for quite a few hours. On those rare occasions when I have eggs for breakfast, I’m good until lunch – no mid-morning snack required!
Here are a few interesting facts about Spain, so you can show how smart you are to your Super Bowl guests when you wow them with your first-ever Spanish Tortilla:
- Spain is governed by a constitutional monarchy, similar to the United Kingdom. Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso de Todos los Santos de Borbon y Grecia is the 53 year old King of Spain. How’d you like to have a name with 64 letters in it? Let’s just call him Phil
- Nestled between Portugal and France, Spain is the only European country to share a border (tiny) with Africa (Morocco)
- Tapas is the plural of tapa, meaning ‘top’ or ‘cover’. Originally, tapas were intended to cover drinks between sips so critters could not get into them. In my mind, tapas are so delicious, there’s no time to use them to cover anything! If you’re looking for a good tapas bar in North America, we recommend www.theinfatuation.com
- Spain is the world’s largest producer of olive oil and the third largest producer of wine globally – 2 of my favorite things
- A sampling of modern day famous Spaniards includes: tennis superstar Rafael Nadal, Penelope Cruz (first Spanish actress to win an Oscar for the movie ‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona’), Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso, actors Antonio Banderas (who used to be married to American Melanie Griffith) and Javier Bardem, and musicians Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin
- They follow in the footsteps of Pablo Picasso (father of Cubism), surrealists Salvador Dali and Joan Miro, architect Antoni Gaudi and author Miguel de Cervantes (Don Quixote), to name just a few
These days, most folks will choose more traditional snacks while watching the Super Bowl: nachos, wings, sliders, pretzels, chips, pizza, onion rings, chili fries, etc.
I’m cool with that. But increasingly, you can find recipe ideas that fall outside of that traditional box – and some which can be very interesting. Here are 4 more recipes that reveal what’s possible and, most importantly, each one is super easy to make:
Blue Cheese and Bacon Truffles
Smoked Gouda-Chorizo Jalapeno Poppers
Gruyere and Sesame Twists
Cheddar Chive Poppers
Whatever food appeals to you most on Super Bowl Sunday, it’s easy entertaining that will matter the most. Life is stressful enough, no sense in making things complicated when more informal options are available.
You want to sit down and enjoy The Game – so the best way to make that happen is to cook food ahead of time (as much as possible). Choose dishes that are ‘make-ahead’, whether frozen or kept cold in the fridge until needed. That will free you up to enjoy The Game with friends and family. It will also allow you – as a good host/hostess – to socialize with your guests (as opposed to being stuck in the kitchen and cooking for most of the time). You need to have fun, too!
And while we’re talking about all this food, let’s make sure not to forget about beverages. Again: plan in advance and have more than enough beer, wine, coolers, pop, juices – and whatever else you fancy – chilled and ready-to-go. And don’t forget the ice!
So: here’s to another wonderful Super Bowl – to be enjoyed with great snacks (and beverages, of course) and people who matter. 🏈🏈🏈
Now the big question: who are you rooting for?❤️❤️❤️
Now challenge yourself and your friends to our Superbowl Snacks Quiz of the Day, by downloading Quizefy from the app store if you haven’t already done so, then see how much you know and Strut Your Smart. Our Superbowl Snacks Quiz is only available today, then it disappears. We’ll be back again every Tuesday with a special blog posted at www.quizefy.com, along with a new trivia quiz on the same topic as the blog. Don’t forget to follow Quizefy on social media, so we can remind you of the upcoming blog and quiz content.