Quesbo Little Chefs · Around the world · Destination 03
Take your time.
Taste Spain.
Golden potato tortilla, a colourful pan of chicken and rice, and baked churros with chocolate. Three delicious discoveries, with a little patience in every recipe.
Welcome to the third stop in Quesbo’s Cooking Adventures Around the World. Find a grown-up cooking companion, tie on your apron and give good food the time it needs. Today we will soften potatoes, watch rice absorb its stock and wait for a chocolate dip to cool.
These are family adaptations inspired by Spanish dishes. Our tortilla and churros use oven methods, while our mild chicken paella offers an introduction to cooking rice in a wide pan. Choose one recipe for today or explore all three over several cooking sessions.
Choose your first taste
A little taste of Spain
Spain is in south-western Europe, and its capital is Madrid. Its food traditions vary from region to region: a single dish or a single recipe cannot tell the whole story. Sharing small dishes, discovering local ingredients and taking time around the table are good places to begin exploring.
Our first taste is inspired by tortilla española, the potato-and-egg dish often served in wedges. Then we explore a rice dish inspired by paella’s Valencian roots. For our sweet finish, we borrow the ridged shape and chocolate-dipping idea of churros and adapt the dough for baking.
Quesbo’s imaginary passport adventure
Inés set a timer beside the baked tortilla. “Ten minutes before we cut the wedges,” she said. Quesbo watched the hands move very slowly. Later, the fully cooked paella rested under its lid for eight minutes. Even the churros and chocolate needed time to cool before the first dip. Quesbo discovered that waiting could make slicing easier, give a dish time to settle and keep a first bite comfortable. His passport earned its third golden word: PATIENCE.
First taste 01 / 03
Oven-Baked Spanish Tortilla Wedges
A tortilla española-inspired potato-and-egg dish, adapted for the oven
Layers of tender potato, golden egg and a little onion make a simple dish worth waiting for. Spanish tortilla is a potato-and-egg dish enjoyed in many ways. This Quesbo version uses the oven, so a grown-up can bake it in a tin and cut it into wedges without turning a hot pan.
Allergens: Contains egg. Check every ingredient label and any ingredients used in variations.
Your ingredients
For the tortilla
- 600 g waxy potatoes, peeled and sliced 4 mm thick
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 6 large eggs
- ½ tsp salt
- Black pepper
Get ready together
EquipmentBaking tray, 20 cm round cake tin, preferably with a solid base, Baking paper, Large mixing bowl, Whisk or fork, Spatula, Chopping board and sharp knife for an adult, Scales and measuring spoons.
Little hands can- Measure the oil and salt
- Toss cool potato and onion with a spoon
- Beat the eggs under supervision
- Count eight wedges and arrange them after an adult checks they are cool enough
- Peel and thinly slice potatoes and onion
- Manage the oven and hot baking tray
- Check potatoes are tender before adding them to egg
- Move and empty the warm tray
- Check the tortilla's centre is fully set
- Lift the tortilla from its tin and cut the wedges
Let’s make it
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Prepare the oven and tins
An adult heats the oven to 200°C conventional or 180°C fan. Line the baking tray and the base and sides of the 20 cm round cake tin with baking paper. A solid-base tin helps keep the liquid egg mixture contained; place the cake tin on a tray for moving it safely.
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Slice and season
An adult peels the potatoes and slices them evenly, about 4 mm thick, then thinly slices the onion. Put them in the bowl with the olive oil, ¼ tsp of the salt and a little black pepper. Children can help toss the cool ingredients with a spoon. Spread them across the lined baking tray without piling them too deeply.
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Soften the potatoes
The adult bakes the potato and onion for about 20–25 minutes, turning once, until the potatoes are tender but not crisp. Check a slice with the tip of a knife: it should slide in easily. Cook a little longer if the potatoes are still firm. Set the tray down safely and allow the mixture to become warm rather than very hot.
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Combine with the eggs
Beat the six eggs in the large bowl with the remaining ¼ tsp salt. An adult checks that the potatoes are safe to handle, then helps gently fold the warm potato and onion into the eggs. Do not taste the uncooked egg mixture, and wash hands and utensils after contact with raw egg.
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Bake until fully set
Pour the mixture into the lined cake tin and gently level the potatoes. The adult puts the tin in the oven. Start checking after about 15 minutes and continue baking as needed until the egg is set all the way through the centre, with no liquid egg remaining. The middle should be cooked and tender, not wet. Oven and tin differences can change the baking time.
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Rest and cut
The adult removes the tin and lets the tortilla rest for 10 minutes so it becomes easier to cut. Carefully lift it out, remove the paper and cut it into eight wedges. Serve warm once it is comfortable to eat, or cool promptly for serving cold; do not leave it sitting out for a long period.
Main meal 02 / 03
Mild Chicken and Vegetable Paella
A family rice dish inspired by Valencian paella
Golden grains, tender chicken, bright pepper and green peas come together in a wide pan. Paella is closely associated with Valencia, and its ingredients and traditions deserve care. This mild Quesbo family interpretation introduces the idea of rice absorbing a flavourful stock; it does not claim to reproduce every traditional version.
Allergens: Stock may contain celery, wheat, soya or other allergens depending on the brand. Check the stock and all other ingredient labels, including any substitutions.
Your ingredients
Main ingredients
- 400 g boneless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
- 300 g paella rice or short-grain rice
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 red pepper, sliced
- 2 ripe tomatoes, grated or finely chopped
- 100 g frozen peas
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Flavouring and liquid
- 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
- Pinch of saffron threads or ¼ tsp turmeric
- 850 ml hot reduced-salt chicken stock
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- Chopped parsley, optional
Get ready together
EquipmentWide lidded frying pan or shallow casserole, Measuring jug, Wooden spoon or spatula, Separate chopping board and knife for raw chicken, Chopping board and knife for vegetables, Grater, if grating the tomatoes, Scales and measuring spoons, Clean food thermometer, if available.
Little hands can- Measure the rice and spices
- Count the lemon wedges after an adult cuts them
- Pick washed parsley leaves if using
- Look for golden rice, red pepper and green peas in the finished bowl
- Handle and cut raw chicken and prevent cross-contamination
- Use knives and the grater to prepare vegetables
- Prepare and pour hot stock
- Control the hot pan and scatter in peas
- Check chicken is fully cooked and rice is tender before resting
- Lift the hot lid and portion the meal
Let’s make it
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Prepare the ingredients
Measure the rice and spices. An adult chops the onion and pepper, grates or chops the tomatoes, cuts the lemon and prepares the stock. The adult cuts the chicken on a separate board. Do not wash raw chicken. Wash hands and clean all utensils and surfaces that have touched it before handling other ingredients.
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Lightly brown the chicken
An adult heats the olive oil in the wide pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for about 6 minutes, turning the pieces until lightly browned outside. This first stage does not fully cook the chicken; it must continue cooking with the rice.
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Soften the vegetables
Add the onion and red pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the tomato, sweet smoked paprika and either the saffron or turmeric. Take care around the hot pan: an adult does this stage.
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Coat the rice
Add the paella rice and stir for about 1 minute so the grains are coated with the vegetable mixture. Carefully pour in the hot stock and spread the chicken, vegetables and rice into an even, shallow layer.
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Let the rice simmer
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 18 minutes, with the lid off. Keep the heat steady and resist stirring once the stock is in; this rice dish is not stirred continuously like risotto. If the pan becomes dry before the rice is tender, an adult can add a small splash of hot water around the edges.
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Add peas and check doneness
The adult scatters the peas over the pan and cooks for about 5 minutes more. Check that the rice is tender, the peas are piping hot and the chicken is fully cooked. A clean thermometer in the thickest chicken pieces should show 70°C for 2 minutes or 75°C for 30 seconds. If using visual checks, cut into the thickest pieces and check they are steaming hot throughout, with no pink flesh and clear juices. Continue cooking as needed; the suggested times are guides.
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Rest before serving
Only when the rice and chicken are fully cooked, turn off the heat, cover with the lid and rest for 8 minutes. The adult removes the lid carefully, keeping faces away from steam. Finish with the optional parsley and serve with lemon wedges. Let children's portions cool to a comfortable eating temperature.
Sweet finish 03 / 03
Oven-Baked Churros with Chocolate
Churro-inspired choux pastry sticks, adapted for the oven
A ridged pastry stick, a dusting of cinnamon sugar and a bowl of warm chocolate: this is a sweet finish for patient little chefs. Churros are usually fried. Our oven adaptation uses a choux-style dough, creating a lighter, less crisp pastry with the pleasure of shaping, baking and dipping.
Allergens: Contains milk, egg and wheat. Chocolate may also contain soya or other allergens; check every ingredient label and any substitutions.
Your ingredients
For the dough
- 250 ml water
- 60 g unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 150 g plain flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
To finish
- 40 g caster sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 100 g milk or dark chocolate
- 100 ml milk
Get ready together
EquipmentSaucepan, Wooden spoon, Heatproof mixing bowl, Small bowl for beaten eggs, Strong piping bag with a large star nozzle, Two baking trays, Baking paper, Small saucepan or cleaned saucepan for the dip, Shallow dish for cinnamon sugar, Cooling rack, Scales and measuring spoons.
Little hands can- Measure the flour and sugar
- Mix the cinnamon sugar
- Help beat in egg after an adult checks the dough is no longer hot
- Pipe with an adult supporting the bag
- Coat the baked churros once an adult confirms they are safe to handle
- Heat the dough liquid and handle the hot saucepan
- Beat flour into the hot liquid and briefly dry the dough over the hob
- Check dough temperature before adding egg
- Help with the piping bag and manage the oven
- Check the baked dough is cooked through
- Heat the chocolate dip and check its serving temperature
Let’s make it
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Prepare the oven and trays
An adult heats the oven to 210°C conventional or 190°C fan. Line two baking trays with baking paper. Fit a strong piping bag with a large star nozzle, ready for the cooled dough.
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Heat the dough ingredients
The adult puts the water, butter, 1 tbsp caster sugar and pinch of salt into a saucepan. Heat gently until the butter melts, then bring just to the boil. Keep children clear of the hot liquid and pan.
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Beat in the flour
The adult takes the pan off the heat, adds all the flour at once and beats firmly with a wooden spoon until a smooth ball forms. Return to low heat briefly, stirring for about a minute until the dough pulls away from the sides and leaves a thin film on the pan. Transfer to the heatproof mixing bowl.
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Cool, then add egg gradually
Let the dough cool until warm rather than hot, stirring occasionally; allow at least 5 minutes and longer if needed. An adult checks it before children help. Beat in the two beaten eggs a little at a time, mixing each addition in fully. The finished dough should be smooth and glossy, thick enough to hold its piped ridges, and form a soft peak. Add the final spoonfuls cautiously and stop if the right texture is reached; egg sizes and dough moisture vary, so every last drop may not be needed. Do not taste the raw dough.
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Pipe even lengths
Spoon the dough into the piping bag. With an adult helping, pipe about 18 ridged lengths, each around 10 cm long, leaving space between them. Keep their thickness similar so they bake evenly; the precise number depends on the nozzle and thickness. Use two hands on the bag and ask an adult to help if it takes too much pressure.
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Bake until golden and set
The adult bakes the churros for about 20–25 minutes until well golden, risen and set. Start checking towards the end of that range and allow longer if needed; an adult can break one open to check there is no wet, raw dough in the centre. These baked choux-style sticks will be lighter and less crisp than fried churros.
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Add cinnamon sugar
Mix the 40 g caster sugar with the cinnamon in the shallow dish. Let the churros cool until warm enough to handle safely, then roll or sprinkle them with the cinnamon sugar. Baked pastry may take a lighter coating than fried churros; sprinkle over a little more of the mixture if it does not stick evenly.
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Make the chocolate dip
An adult gently heats the chocolate and 100 ml milk together in a small saucepan, stirring until smooth. Use low heat and avoid boiling. Pour into a serving bowl and allow it to cool to a comfortably warm dipping temperature before children try it.
Your tasty passport · Destination 03
You’ve tasted Spain.
What was worth the wait?
Open your cooking notebook and make a new passport page. Write SPAIN at the top, draw a dish you tried and add the date and your cooking companion’s name.
- Give it a taste score. Rate each dish you tried from 1 to 5. Everyone is allowed a different favourite.
- Choose your next step. Would you cook it again? Write “Yes”, “Maybe” or “Not yet”.
- Remember three discoveries. Tortilla española is a potato-and-egg dish; paella has Valencian roots; our churros are an oven-baked adaptation of a usually fried treat.
- Earn your PATIENCE stamp. Write down one moment when you waited during cooking. What did that wait help you do?
Food detective: which two recipes include a timed rest after cooking, and how long does each rest? Answer: the tortilla rests for 10 minutes, and the paella for 8 minutes.
A word for your journey: Hola means “Hello” in Spanish. At the table, Buen provecho is a friendly way to say “Enjoy your meal”.
Your next destination clue: look for a tower that sparkles at night and a kitchen where bread, cheese and sauce become a crisp sandwich. Where might your recipe compass take you?
Food and discovery notes for grown-ups
Recipes adapted from Quesbo’s Spain cooking pages, with clearer preparation, supervision and storage guidance. These are family interpretations, not a claim to represent every regional version. The tortilla uses an oven method, the mild chicken paella is a family adaptation, and the churros use baked choux-style dough. Food imagery is AI-generated for illustration, rather than photographs from a kitchen test.
- Spain’s official tourism website: tortilla and popular tapas
- Visit Valencia: Valencian paella
- Spain’s official tourism website: churros
- King Arthur Baking: working with choux pastry
- Food Standards Agency: cooking food thoroughly
- Food Standards Agency: storing and reheating rice
- Food Standards Agency: chilling and storing food
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