Spanish Rice and Eggs with Tomate Frito

"Yuck."  Or at least that's what my husband says every time I say I'm going to make this dish.  But hold your horses...Spanish Rice and Eggs is a little out of the ordinary, but it's delicious, warming and filling!  It takes all of about 20-30 minutes to make, and you probably have all of the ingredients in your kitchen right now.  How can you beat that?!

I learned how to make this dish when I lived in Spain.  The grandmother of the family I lived with would make this about once a week for our lunch, and I totally looked forward to that day each week like a kid looks forward to dessert.  That's how much I love this!  And to tip the scales, my daughter loves it as well.  So we have a 2 to 1 vote in our household, and I'm not inclined to count my husband's since he hasn't even tried it.  His loss. ;-)

So really, this is just rice layered with what the Spanish call "tomate frito" (fried tomato sauce) and an over-easy to -medium egg.  Go try it and let me know what you think so we can settle this family feud once and for all! 

Spanish Rice and Eggs with Tomate Frito
Serves 2

2 cups water
1 cup rice
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 15-ounce can unsalted tomato sauce
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper
2 eggs

Put the water in a small saucepan, cover, and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, add the rice and garlic clove, cover, and simmer on very low heat for about 20 minutes or until the rice is done.

While the rice is cooking, place the tomato sauce and olive oil in a shallow pan.  Add salt and pepper to taste and cover.  Simmer on a low heat until your rice is ready.

When the rice is done, heat a small pan and spray with cooking spray or coat with a small amount of olive oil.  Fry the eggs to your desired consistency.  (I like my whites cooked all the way through, but my yolk runny for this dish.  Once the yolk mixes with the rice and tomato sauce, it makes a delicious creamy sauce for the dish.) Top with freshly-ground pepper.

Eat immediately and sop up the sauce with crusty bread.

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