Mexican and Spanish tortillas have very little in common other than their Latin root – torte, meaning round cake. Mexican tortillas are thin wraps made from corn flour. The Spanish tortilla is a potato omelet- a really good one. Considering its limited ingredients, it is far more tasty than you’d ever expect.
Nothing is more basic to a Spanish cuisine than eggs. It is hard to imagine a meal that doesn’t include eggs in some form-or-other. Hard boiled, soft boiled, fried on steaks, in sauces, chopped, raw in aioli, yolks in custards…you name it.
There is no doubt, however, that the county’s real love affair of eggs is with tortilla Española, the ubiquitous potato omelet. They are literally eaten any time of day or night, hot or warm or cold. They are served in the most run-down establishments as well as the most elegant.
This recipe is for the classic tortilla Española from which there are endless variations that include ingredients like chorizo sausage, red bell pepper, pimento peppers, and various vegetables and meats.
Tortilla Española (Spanish Potato Omelet)
Equipment
- Large nonstick skillet
- Large bowl
- Rubber spatula
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Medium Yukon Gold potatoes
- 1 large Onion, chopped
- Sea salt or kosher salt
- Coarse black pepper
- ½ cup Olive oil,
- 6 large Eggs
Instructions
- Prep – Peel potatoes, rinse, and pat dry with paper towels. Quarter potatoes longways. Cut into thin ¼-inch pieces. Whisk eggs into a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook Vegetables: Heat olive oil for 2 minutes over medium-high heat. When hot, pour in the potatoes, spreading them out to cover the whole pan. Stir occasionally to ensure they all cook evenly. After 15 minutes, heavily salt and pepper, stir. Cook another 10 minutes until potatoes are cooked through but not crispy. In a separate pan, cook onions until the become soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer cooked potatoes and onions to bowl with eggs and mix until everything is combined. Set aside for 5 minutes.
- Cook Tortilla – Reheat the same pan over medium-low heat. Pour potato – egg mixture into the pan covering the whole bottom evenly. After 2 minutes, run spatula around the outside to ensure it doesn't stick. Cook for a total of 5 minutes, shaking occasionally to ensure it's not sticking.With a plate slightly larger than the egg pan, flip the tortilla onto the plate by placing plate over pan with one hand and flip the tortilla over onto the plate. Slide tortilla from the plate back into the pan to cook the other side for another 4-5 minutes. While cooking, compact the outer edges with a spatula to give it the classic rounded edge look.
- To serve, slide onto a round platter and serve either hot or let it sit for a few hours at room temperature.
Notes
- If some of tortilla sticks to the bottom of the pan during first flip, carefully scrape them up and place back on the omelet, fitting it like a puzzle piece.
- To have as a lunch, serve this with a simple salad and hearty red wine.
- Tortilla is often served at room temperature.
