Butifarra & White Bean Tortilla: A Spanish Recipe 🇪🇸

The humble tortilla, a culinary canvas celebrated for its versatility, readily accepts a wide range of fillings. Some combinations, honed over centuries, prove particularly successful – the classic potato and onion tortilla being a prime example. A recent take on this staple features butifarra and refried beans, locally known as ‘seques,’ offering a flavorful and relatively quick meal, especially when using pre-cooked legumes.

A Flavorful Combination

This recipe is designed for use with fresh butifarra – a mixture of minced pork, seasoned with salt and pepper, and encased in a sausage – or a similar longaniza. The butifarra can be cooked whole and sliced, prepared ‘esparracada’ (where it’s cooked and the meat falls from the casing), or simply sautéed after removing the casing. Serving this tortilla with all i oli, a garlic mayonnaise, is suggested as a particularly effective enhancement.

Adapting the Recipe

If using cooked white or perol butifarra, reducing the quantity is recommended. Botifarra negra, which includes blood, has a more potent flavor and should be used sparingly. The key to success, beyond the ingredients, lies in achieving the desired level of doneness for the egg. This tortilla is enjoyable both freshly made and at room temperature, and pairs well with pan con tomate, escalivada, or a simple green or tomato salad. For those who enjoy garlic, adding some chopped garlic to the seques during the refrying process is encouraged.

Did You Know? The preparation time for this dish is approximately 30 minutes, with the primary challenge being successfully flipping the tortilla.

The recipe calls for 8 large eggs, 250-300 grams of butifarra, 500 grams of cooked white beans (seques), one medium onion, 2-3 sprigs of parsley, olive oil, salt, and optional black pepper.

Instructions for Preparation

First, peel and finely slice the onion, then poach it in a large pan with a little oil and a pinch of salt over medium heat until golden brown. Next, cook the butifarra – whole, in pieces, or without the casing – until browned and cooked through. Remove the butifarra and onion, leaving the rendered fat in the pan. Add the drained and dried white beans to the pan, mixing carefully and cooking for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to allow some to toast.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper (if desired). Add the onion and butifarra mixture, the beans, and chopped parsley to the bowl. Lightly mash some of the beans with a fork, stir gently, and let the mixture rest for a few minutes. Heat a non-stick pan with a little oil, pour in the mixture, and cook the tortilla over medium-low heat, flipping when golden brown on the bottom. Finish cooking to your desired level of doneness and let rest for a couple of minutes before serving.

Expert Insight: The success of this dish hinges on balancing the flavors of the butifarra and the beans, and achieving the desired texture of the tortilla itself. Adjusting the amount of butifarra based on whether it’s fresh or pre-cooked is crucial for a well-balanced result.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is butifarra?

Butifarra is a type of fresh pork sausage, minced, seasoned with salt and pepper, and encased. It can be cooked in various ways, including whole, in pieces, or with the casing removed.

What are ‘seques’?

‘Seques’ are refried white beans, commonly used in this region’s cuisine.

How long does this recipe take?

The recipe takes approximately 30 minutes to prepare.

Considering the long history of tortilla variations, what unique ingredients would you add to create your own signature version?