
Paella: Originating in the region around Valencia, paella traditionally comes in two varieties: paella Valenciana (with rabbit and chicken) and seafood paella.

Patatas bravas: These delicious shallow-fried potato cubes are served with a spicy sauce.

Gazpacho: This cold tomato-based soup is ideal for a hot Seville summer. In addition to tomato, it's usually flavored with peppers, garlic, bread and olive oil.

Pimientos de Padrón: A perfect complement to a cool beverage, these salted Padrón peppers are addictively sweet, salty and sometimes fiery hot.

Fideuà: This is a Spanish pasta similar to vermicelli. It's popular in Catalonia and Valencia in seafood dishes that rival paella for their taste and intricacy.

Jamón: "Jamón is the staple of the Spanish table," says chef José Pizarro. Jamón Iberico (from black pigs) is the more expensive kind.

Tortilla: The humble Spanish omelet can be made with chorizo, peppers and onions, among other ingredients, but purists will tell you it should only contain potatoes and eggs.

Churros: Few places make deep-fried dough as finger-licking good as Spain. Often doused in sugar and dipped in hot melted chocolate, churros are a favorite during street festivals.

Croquetas: These are tubes of bechamel sauce encased in fried breadcrumbs. Jamón and salt cod are popular fillings.

Albondigas: Found all over Spain, albondigas (or meatballs) is a classic tapas item served in a tomato sauce.

Migas: Essentially dry breadcrumbs torn up and fried with ingredients like chorizo and bacon, migas has evolved from a peasant food to a dish served in fancy restaurants. It's the ultimate Spanish comfort food.

Bacalao: Salted cod is served in many ways but is popular with pil-pil sauce, made of olive oil, garlic and the juice of the fish -- especially in the Basque Country.

Fabada: An Asturian favorite based around the white fabe bean, fabada is a one-pot feast usually served with a mixture of pork meats -- including chorizo, pork belly, bacon and Spanish blood sausage.

Leche Frita: Milk, egg yolks and flour are whipped up, chilled and solidified before being coated in breadcrumbs and fried to create leche frita, one of the most popular desserts in Spain.


