Originally from Andalucía, and today adopted all over Spain, tapas are an important part of Spanish culture and cuisine, designed to be eaten as a staple between lunch and dinner. The tapas tradition first began in the thirteenth century when King Alfonso X of Castile recovered from an illness by drinking wine with small, rich dishes between meals. After regaining his health, the king mandated that taverns could not serve wine to customers unless it was accompanied by a small snack or “tapa.” Many Spanish bars and restaurants have a choice of tapas offerings, and it is common for people to go out for a “tapas crawl” on weekends or after work. Outside of Spain, tapas are often served as appetizers or a meal in and of themselves. There is no perfect combination of dishes, but rather up to each individual’s preferences. Below is a sampling of our Chef’s favorites, a mix of marinated olives, grilled vegetables, and empanadas. Serve with olives and toasted crusty bread or pita bread.
Preparation:
Arrange in individual dishes or on a platter:
Toasted baguette
Serrano ham
Marinated olives
Spanish chorizo
Marinated olives
Grilled vegetables
Marinated octopus
Empanadas (see recipe below)
Marinated scallops
Marinated shrimp
Gazpacho
Arugula wrapped in Breasola
Empanadas
Ingredients:
2 c. all-purpose flour
½ t. salt
½ c. unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
½ c. water
1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. paprika
½ t. dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
½ c. pitted green olives, chopped
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
Oil for frying
Instructions:
1. In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt together. Add the cold butter pieces and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2. Gradually add the water, a little at a time, and mix until the dough comes together. Knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3. In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium heat until browned. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook until the vegetables are softened.
4. Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the chopped olives and hard-boiled eggs. Let the filling cool completely.
5. Preheat the oil in a deep frying pan or pot to 350° F (175° C).
6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out circles using a round cookie cutter or a glass.
7. Spoon a small amount of the filling onto one half of each dough circle. Fold the other half over the filling and press the edges together to seal. You can use a fork to crimp the edges for a decorative touch.
8. Fry the empanadas in the hot oil for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Remove them from the oil and let them drain on paper towels.
9. Serve the empanadas warm with salsa or chimichurri sauce.
Serves: 4-6
Dream Cuisine
Olives are a staple in Spanish cuisine. Olives enjoyed a place at the ancient table because they were nutritious and consumed by the masses, who counted on olives for everyday sustenance. Olives were also one of the most important early appetizers, usually served before the main meal had begun. Today it is common throughout Spain to find a bowl of olives on mealtime tables, and we suggest that every tapas presentation include them.
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