START TO FINISH: 45 minutes
SERVINGS: 4
In traditional Spanish huevos rotos, or “broken eggs,” fried eggs are served on top of fried potatoes, along with serrano ham or chorizo. The yolks are broken so they flow onto the food below, creating a rich sauce. For our simplified version, we precook the potatoes in the microwave, then crisp them in olive oil; the eggs are cooked in the skillet directly on top of the potatoes. Use small red or white potatoes, as their skins add flavor without toughness. If you can find only large potatoes, choose a thin-skinned variety, such as Yukon Gold, and cut them, unpeeled, into ¾-inch pieces.
Don’t cook the eggs to the point where the yolks set. The key to this dish is the rich, runny yolk that coats the potatoes.
1½ pounds small potatoes (about 1½ inches in diameter), quartered
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces Spanish chorizo, quartered lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick
1 large poblano chili, stemmed, seeded, quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise into thin strips
6 large eggs
1 scallion, thinly sliced on diagonal
Hot sauce, to serve
Place the potatoes in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave on high until tender, about 10 minutes, stirring halfway through. Let cool slightly and, using a potato masher, gently crush them until slightly flattened but still in large chunks. If the potatoes are too firm to flatten, cover and microwave on high until tender, then crush.
In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until barely smoking. Add the potatoes in an even layer and cook without stirring until crisp on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Stir, redistribute in an even layer and cook until crisp on the bottom, another 5 minutes. Stir in the onion, vinegar and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until the onion has softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chorizo and chili, then cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Distribute the mixture in an even layer and reduce to medium-low.
Using the back of a large spoon, make 6 evenly spaced indentations in the potatoes, each about 2 inches in diameter. Crack 1 egg into each, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny, 4 to 6 minutes.
Sprinkle the scallion over the top. Using a paring knife, cut a small X in the top of each egg and allow the yolk to flow out. Serve with hot sauce.