Tortilla de Patatas (Spanish Potato Omelet)
A quintessential Spanish dish, the Tortilla Espanola or Tortilla de Patatas can be eaten at any meal – breakfast, lunch or dinner. When I was a student in Barcelona, we would have sandwiches with Pan con Tomate (fresh bread rubbed with tomato) and tortilla several days a week for lunch. It’s definitely a comfort food, and can be augmented with a bowl of gazpacho or a nice fresh green salad.
You will need a deep, non-stick 10”-12” fry pan or well seasoned cast iron or carbon steel frying pan.This dish also requires flipping halfway through the cooking process, so be sure you have a large flat plate handy that’s larger in circumference than your fry pan. (This is a recipe where it will be really helpful to watch our video!)
Louisa and her friend Luis, and history teacher from her study abroad year, cooked this meal live from Seville, Spain — watch the video to see them in action!
Ingredients:
4 Medium Potatoes (Yukon Gold is a good choice because they’re low starch)
1 Medium White or Yellow Onions
4 Eggs, beaten
¼ C+ Extra Virgin Olive Oil (you will need about 2-3 T more)
1 Pinch Salt
(You can also add red or green bell peppers for color and flavor!)
- Peel the potatoes and slice VERY thin. Rinse well in cold water and drain.
- Slice the onions very thin.
- Heat the ¼ C of oil in a deep fry pan, then add the potatoes and onion.
- Heat on low to medium heat with a lid, stirring occasionally. You will essentially be steaming the potatoes and onions, rather than frying them to a crisp.
- When they are all softened, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.Drain off the excess oil and discard.
- Add the potatoes to a bowl with your beaten eggs and salt and stir until all the potatoes are coated.
- Put another 2-3 tablespoons of oil in the pan and heat. Pour in the egg and potato mix and cook until it’s fairly solid.
- Now the hard part: place a flat plate over the pan and very carefully flip it onto the plate, then slide the omelet back into the pan to continue cooking.
- When the omelet is cooked through, slide or flip it onto a clean plate and serve hot or at room temperature.
