Revuelto Gramajo – Argentine Potato and Egg Scramble
The rescue dish of the Argentine bodegón: egg, ham and potato, the most famous quick plate on any of their menus. Cheap, generous and done in 20 minutes.
Two techniques carry it. The potato straw is cut into matchsticks, rinsed in ice water until it runs clear, and fried in small batches — the rinsing takes off the surface starch, which is what stops the strands welding into a mat.
And the egg goes in over the lowest possible heat, or with the burner off entirely. That is what keeps it creamy instead of setting into a dry block. A wide pan holds enough residual heat to finish the job on its own.
🔎 What is revuelto gramajo? — where it comes from, what goes in it and how it differs.
Ingredients
- 4 medium fresh eggs
- 150 g good cooked ham, cut into thin strips
- 3 medium potatoes, a frying variety
- 1 tbsp butter
- Neutral oil, as needed, for frying the potatoes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional: a pinch of chopped fresh parsley, to finish
Method
- 1
Peel the potatoes and cut them into very thin slices. Stack the slices and cut them into fine matchsticks. Put them in a bowl of ice water and rinse two or three times, until the water runs clear — the surface starch is what makes the strands stick together.
- 2
Heat plenty of neutral oil in a deep pan to about 180 °C. Fry the potato straw in small batches so the oil temperature does not drop, moving it gently with a fork. Drain on kitchen paper.
- 3
Cut the ham into thin strips of roughly the same length as the potatoes. In a separate bowl, break the 4 eggs and beat them lightly with a fork, just to bring the yolks and whites together.
- 4
In a wide skillet (frying pan) over medium heat, melt the tablespoon of butter with a few drops of oil so it does not burn. Add the ham strips and cook for 1-2 minutes to warm them through.
- 5
The creamy scramble: turn the heat to the absolute minimum, or switch the burner off entirely if your pan holds heat well. Add the fried potato straw to the pan with the ham and pour in the beaten eggs straight away. Stir constantly and firmly with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, drawing everything from the edges into the middle. You want the egg to set slowly, until it is creamy, moist and glossy (baveuse). It takes only 1-2 minutes.
- 6
Take it off the heat immediately to stop the cooking. Serve on a warmed plate, scatter with parsley if you like, and eat at once — the point is the contrast between the creamy egg and the crisp potato, and it lasts about a minute.
Frequently asked questions
Doesn't the recipe need peas and onion?
The classic, pure version has neither. The dish goes back to Colonel Artemio Gramajo, an aide to President Roca, who had the kitchen of the Club «Del Progreso» put together whatever was to hand: egg, cooked ham and potato straw.
In some bodegones — the traditional eating houses of Buenos Aires — very tender peas, fried onion or leftover shredded chicken do get added anyway. That turns it into a full main course rather than a starter to share.
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