With potatoes arriving for so many weeks (I promise, I am not complaining!) I thought I’d do something different with this week’s and make the Crispy Potato, Egg and Cheese Taco (recipe below) from Ali Stafford of Alexandracooks.com and her book “I Dream of Dinner.” I have some “artisan” tortillas in the refrigerator and this is a great way to use them up – perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Her note about the recipe: “You only need 1/2 cup of grated potato, so if you are shopping, look for small potatoes. Even a 3-oz potato will give you more potato than you need for this recipe. The key to success here is to not use more than 1/4 cup of lightly packed grated potato per taco — it will be tempting to use more. Try to refrain.”
Ingredients:
2 corn or flour tortillas 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter 1/2 cup grated potato, see notes above 1/4 cup grated Cheddar or Asiago or cheese of choice 2 eggs kosher salt and pepper to taste hot sauce lime
Preparation:
Warm the tortillas however you wish: in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat or directly over the flame or in your toaster or toaster oven. Transfer to a plate.
Read and rehearse what’s happening next. It comes together quickly:
Heat the olive oil or butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Sprinkle the potato into two piles in the pan, then use a spatula or fork to spread out each pile to about the size of your tortilla. You want the strands touching but not clumped, like a snowflake. The more space between the potato, the crispier the final result.
Salt the potato, then evenly sprinkle the cheese over the potato. It’s OK if some cheese comes into contact with the pan—it’ll taste like the crispy edges of a grilled cheese.
Make an indent in the center of each pile and crack an egg right in there. Salt and pepper the eggs, then cover the skillet and cook until the cheese and potatoes are golden and the egg white is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes.
Use a spatula to wiggle the potato and cheese loose from the skillet, then slide them onto your tortillas. Eat with hot sauce and lime wedges or whatever toppings you like (keeping in mind that the yolk is the built-in sauce).