Spanish Tortilla
Potatoes and onion slow-cooked in olive oil until soft, then bound with beaten eggs and set into a thick round omelette. Five ingredients. The technique is what matters. In Spain this gets eaten at any hour — breakfast, tapas, a wedge in a bread roll at midnight. It is one of those dishes that tastes better the next day cold, which is not something you can say about many things.
Ingredients
- 600 gwaxy potatoes
- 1 piecelarge onion
- 6 pieceeggs
- 150 mlolive oil
- 1 tspsalt
Method
- Peel the potatoes and slice them about 4 to 5 mm thick — thin enough to cook through, thick enough to hold shape. Halve the onion and slice into thin half-moons.
- Pour the olive oil into a 24 cm non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the potatoes and onion, season with salt, and stir to coat. The potatoes should bubble gently in the oil — not fry aggressively. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, turning occasionally with a spatula, until the potatoes are completely tender and the onion is sweet and soft. You are confiting them, not frying. Drain through a sieve over a bowl and save the oil.
- While the potatoes drain, beat the eggs well in a large bowl with a pinch of salt. Add the potato and onion mixture and stir to combine. Let the mixture rest for 5 to 10 minutes — the potato starch thickens the eggs slightly and the tortilla holds together better.
- Return 2 tablespoons of the reserved oil to the pan over medium-high heat. When hot, pour in the egg and potato mixture, then immediately lower the heat to medium-low. Use a spatula to push the edges in and shape the sides into a rounded edge. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the edges are set and the center still looks slightly wet on top.
- Time to flip. Place a large flat plate firmly over the pan. With one hand pressing the plate down and the other gripping the pan handle, flip them in one quick confident movement over the sink. The tortilla is now on the plate, cooked side up. Slide it back into the pan and cook for another 4 to 6 minutes until the second side is golden.
- Slide onto a board or plate. Let it rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold — all three are correct.
FAQ
The flip is the only moment where things can go wrong, which is why people are afraid of this recipe. You need a flat plate slightly wider than the pan. Run a spatula around the edges to make sure nothing is stuck. Take the pan off the heat, press the plate firmly against the pan with both hands, clamp it between your palm and the pan rim — and flip in one quick movement over the sink (oil may drip). The tortilla lands on the plate with the raw side down. Slide it back into the pan. It is easier than it looks the first time, and much easier the second.
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Comments (1)
Cook the waxy potatoes until it just barely yields to a knife for spanish tortilla. It continues softening from residual heat for 2-3 minutes. Cooking until fully soft in the pan means mush on the plate.