Let me tell you about the little bit of heaven called tortilla española, or Spanish omelet.
Ingredients: potatoes (3), onions (2), eggs (5), olive oil, salt
Let me tell you what you do…
Slice up your spuds nice and thin. Then just cover them with olive oil at a simmer.
You don’t want to fry them. You’re sort of poaching them in oil, so they cook soft and sweet and don’t brown.
Now I should point out here that because this dish is so simple, everything has to be good that goes into it. Especially the olive oil — normally you’d cook with a “light” olive oil with less flavor and a higher smoke point, but for this you want a flavorful extra virgin.
You let the potatoes simmer while you slice the onions, then add them in and simmer gently another 15 minutes or so, around 20 minutes total for the spuds. Then you remove them from the pan into a colander set over a bowl. You can set aside the oil if you like for later use.
Put the drained veggies in a bowl and add the lightly beaten salted eggs, spoon it around a little and let the eggs begin to set slightly. Then pour it all into the pan to finish. Spoon it around a little more with a spatula to get even cooking until it’s not liquid, which should take less than a minute. Use the spatula to mind the edges as it sets through.
The tricky part comes here, when you flip the tortilla. You cover the pan with a larger plate, flip the omelet onto the plate by turning them both upside down, then flip the pan back over onto the stove and slide the omelet back into it. When that side sets (just check with the spatula) you flip it back onto the plate.
That one’s kinda ragged. I didn’t mind the edges like I should have. But it was so damn good!
If you use fresh potatoes, eggs, and onions and an olive oil good enough to dip your bread in, and you cook it all nice and low, just at simmer, the potatoes and onions turn so sweet and soft, and the eggs and oil give it a light, creamy texture and flavor, with a nice dash of salt. It’s so delicate but so down home and tasty at the same time. And it’s just as good served cold! Perfect comida casera.
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PS: Some people have commented to the effect, “Oh, I make tortilla española, but I add…” No no no. The magic of this dish is how delicate yet robust the flavors of the potatoes, onions, and eggs are. Spanish omelet brings out the natural savor and sweetness of these basic ingredients. If you add asparagus, peppers, chorizo, spinach, cheese, or any of these things, you destroy those flavors. (The same is true if you are using fried potatoes or carmelized onions.) Saying that you make a tortilla española with added ingredients is like saying you play in a quartet with eight people. No, you don’t.
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PPS: Instructions from my comments on prep — Use a regular Russet/baking potato. Peel and slice in half lengthwise. With each half, place cut-side-down and make another longwise cut, then slice in 1/8” slivers. For the onion, cut in half from stem to base, cut off the top, peel, and slice the halves at about the same width as the potatoes. The slices will fall apart into thin strips. Use farm fresh eggs and a quality olive oil and your tortilla will be as good as anything you’ll get in Madrid. And your kitchen will smell wonderful.
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