Huevos Rotos — Crisp Potatoes with Broken Fried Eggs and Jamón

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A Spanish tapas-bar classic built on one idea: potatoes fried hard in olive oil until the edges shatter, then runny fried eggs broken over the top so the yolk becomes the sauce. Torn jamón serrano goes on off the heat so it stays silky, and a dusting of pimentón ties it together. No cream, no cheese, no fuss — just three things done properly in one skillet.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 lb Yukon Gold potatoes (about 3 medium)
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 cloves garlic, lightly smashed and peeled
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary or thyme (optional)

• 4 large eggs, as fresh as possible
• 2 oz jamón serrano or prosciutto, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp sweet or smoked Spanish paprika (pimentón)
• to taste flaky sea salt
• to taste freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

Instructions

1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into rough 3/4-inch cubes or thick irregular batons — uneven edges catch more oil and crisp better than tidy cubes. Rinse in cold water until the water runs clear, then dry them very thoroughly on a clean towel. Wet potatoes will steam instead of crisping and will spit in the oil.
2. Pour the olive oil into a 10- or 12-inch skillet (cast iron or heavy stainless works best) — it should come about 1/3 inch up the sides. Add the potatoes, the smashed garlic, and the herb sprig, then set over medium heat. The oil should come up around the potatoes and settle to a lazy, steady bubble at about 250–275°F.
3. Cook gently for 15–18 minutes, stirring only two or three times with a slotted spoon, until a potato piece crushes easily against the side of the pan with no resistance in the center. Fish out the garlic and herbs as soon as they turn golden, around minute 8, so they do not burn.
4. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the oil to about 350–375°F. Fry the potatoes another 6–9 minutes, turning occasionally, until deeply golden with blistered, crunchy edges. Sprinkle with the kosher salt, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate for 1 minute, then pile them onto a warm serving platter or into two shallow bowls.
5. Pour off all but about 3 tablespoons of the oil (save the rest, strained, for roasting vegetables — it is excellent). Return the skillet to medium-high heat until the oil just shimmers, about 1 minute.
6. Crack the eggs into the hot oil, two at a time if your pan is crowded. Fry for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, spooning the hot oil over the whites near the yolks, until the edges are lacy and browned, the whites are fully set, and the yolks are still completely liquid. Season the whites with a pinch of flaky salt and pepper.
7. Slide the eggs directly over the potatoes. Tear the jamón into ragged pieces with your fingers and drape it over the hot eggs and potatoes — the residual heat is enough to soften the fat and release its aroma without cooking it stiff.
8. Dust everything with the pimentón, add another pinch of flaky salt and a good grind of pepper, and scatter the parsley over the top. Bring it to the table immediately, then break the yolks with a spoon and toss everything roughly together so the yolk coats the potatoes. Eat right away, ideally with bread and a cold beer.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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