Tortilla Española (Spanish Omelette)

Inspired by friend and colleague Alessandro Allegro who lived in Spain for more than 10 years.

Gazpacho is Andalusian, paella is Valencian, but tortilla is wholly Spanish--not one of the 17 autonomous regions can claim it.

Emblematic of Spanish cuisine, the tortilla has triggered a big debate between the party for onions and the party against. In accordande to El Mundo newspaper, 73% of Spanish people are "concebollista" (preferring tortilla Española with onions) versus the minority who is "sincebollista" (see full article here).

Either way, try it at home or on one of our tours of Spain. With or without onions, do not forget the three main ingredients: extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO); potatoes; and eggs. Buen provecho (bon appetit)!

Ingredients for 2 people:

• 4 eggs
• 1 potato (1/2 pound)
• 1 onion (1/4 pound)
• 1/3 cup EVOO
• 1/4 tsp salt  

Directions:

• Wash, peel, and thinly slice the onion and set aside
• Wash and peel the potato
• Halve the potato lengthwise and then slice it (1/8 of an inch or 3mm thick) 
• Pour EVOO into a nonstick pan over medium flame (we use a 8.5 inch wide pan)
• When EVOO is hot, lay out the sliced potatoes and cook them with a lid on for about 8-10 minutes
• Every few minutes, toss them to avoid sticking
• When the potatoes are soft (do not fry them) remove from heat and drain, retaining the EVOO
• Pat dry the potatoes and set aside
• Wash the pan and reset over medium flame, pouring in the conserved EVOO (used previously) 
• When EVOO is hot, lay out the sliced onions and cook them until soft (about 5-7 minutes)
• Remove pan from heat and incline to let EVOO drip to one side. Remove onions and set aside
• Collect EVOO again and wash the pan again
• Beat the eggs in a bowl and add in the cooked potatoes and onions with salt. Stir well
• Pour in the same conserved EVOO (used previously) into the pan, again set over medium heat
• When EVOO is hot, pour in the batter of eggs, onions, and potatoes
• Turn the flame down to avoid burning the tortilla and cover with a lid for 5 minutes or so
• Our secret to binding the eggs on the top side is to put our nonstick pan (with metal handle) into the oven under the broiler for a few minutes
• When the top of the tortilla is firmer, remove the pan from the broiler and flip it using a flat lid or plate
• Cook the other side of the tortilla on the stove over low flame for just a few minutes
• Remove and pat the tortilla dry
• Eat warm or allow to cool and store it in the fridge for your next picnic or light meal
   

Buen provecho!