| An Introduction to Spanish Tapas Recipes |
| The Spanish word tapa can be translated as lid. Tapas originated in Andalucia where it became a custom to serve wine and sherry with a lid on the glass. It is thought that this was to stop flies contaminating the drink. The bartender would place a small amount of food such as bread or an olive on the lid to eat with the wine. |
The custom spread throughout Spain but tapas became food in it's own right. They are snack sized food made with local produce such as tomatoes or olives. Over the last 30 years their popularity has grown to such an extent that they are now served all over the world.
Typically they are eaten along with a glass of beer or wine. A night out can consist of going from bar to bar and sampling their tapas and drinks.
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Tapas are rarely served with knives or forks in Spain. Eating with the
hands is normal and some bars in Spain even put saw dust on the floor
so that shells and the like can be discarded on the floor. A full meal of tapas would normally include a selection of around six tapa dishes. Many are served cold, others are hot dishes. |
If you visit a tapas bar in Spain, below are some of the ingredients and dishes you may be offered. We give the English translation to help. Click on any item which is in red for more details. On the right are small pictures of the tapa recipes we have cooked, all with step by step pictures.
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INGREDIENTS |
TAPAS DISHES |
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| Aceite | Oil | Ahumados | Smoked fish |
| Aceituna | Olive | Alioli | Mayonnaise & garlic |
| Alitas de pollo | Chicken wings | Albondigas | Meatballs |
| Almandras | Almonds | Bienmesabe | Marinated fried fish |
| Almejas | Clams | Calamares Roma | Squid in batter |
| Anchoa | Anchovy | Cazuelita | Small hot casserole |
| Anguillas |
Eels |
Croqueta de bacalao | Salt cod croquette |
| Arroz | Rice | Empanadas | Filled pastry parcels |
| Aves | Poultry | Ensaladilla rusa | Russian salad |
| Azafran | Saffron | Flamenquines | Fried pork with salsa |
| Bacalao | Salt Cod | Gambas al ajillo | Prawns fried with garlic |
| Boqueron | Anchovy | Gambas en gabardina | Deep fried prawns |
| Callos | Tripe |
Huevos rellenos |
Stuffed hard boiled eggs |
| Carabineiros | Large prawns | Huevas | Fish roe |
| Caracoles | Snails | Longaniza fuet | Firm, thin sausage |
| Carne | Meat | Mojama | Dried, salted tuna |
| Cecina | Dry cured beef | Montados | Bread with a topping |
| Cerveza | Beer | Pan con tomatoa | Bread topped with tomato & olive oil |
| Chipirones | Small squid | Patatas bravas | Fried potatoes with spicy tomato sauce |
| Chopitos | Small squid | Pimientos de Padron | Small fried green peppers (some hot) |
| Chorizo | Spanish sausage | Pincho | Bite sized tapa |
| Cigalas | Crayfish | Pinchito | Bite sized tapa |
| Gambas | Prawns |
Pisto manchego |
Ratatouille with meat and egg |
| Higado | Liver | Pulga pulguita | A filled roll (small) |
| Huevo | Egg | Queso en aceite | Cheese in olive oil |
| Jamon | Ham | Racion | Small plateful |
| Jerez | Sherry | Revuelto | Scrambled eggs |
| Manchego | Sheep's milk cheese | Rinones al Jerez | Kidneys in sherry |
| Morcilla | Black pudding | Salpicon | Chopped salad |
| Necora | Crab | Salsa | Sauce |
| Olivas | Olives | San Jacoba | Fried ham and cheese |
| Pan | Bread | Sobrassada | Paprika sausage |
| Patatas | Potatoes | Soldaditos de pavia | Salt cod fried in batter |
| Perdiz de huerta | Lettuce hearts | Tascas | Tapas bars |
| Perejil | Parsley | Tigres | Mussels in spicy tomato & bechamel |
| Pescado | Fish | Torrezno | Pork crackling |
| Pollo | Chicken | Tortilla | Spanish Omelette |
| Queso | Cheese | Tosta | Toast with topping |
| Quisquillas | Shrimps | Zarajo | Grilled sheep stomach |
| Sepia | Large squid | ||
| Setas | Wild mushrooms | ||
| Sidra | Cider | ||
| Vieiras | Scallops | ||
| Vino | Wine | ||
| Zamburinas | Small scallops | ||
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