Tortilla Espanola (Spanish Tortilla)

The dish is known Spanish tortilla or tortilla Espanola. The Spanish tortilla is a delicious potato-egg appetizer that is found in most tapas restaurants. The ingredients are simple but the results are amazingly delicious.

I used to think that in order to create delicious food, the ingredients must be complicated and sometimes obscure. I've tried several recipes that discredits this belief. These minamalist recipes showcase simple and pure ingredients. For example my almond shortbread is simple, just a handful of ingredients found in the pantry come together to create a melt in your mouth cookie. This tortilla is such a recipe. Potatoes, onions, eggs, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

When making something with so few ingredients I tend to use the best ingredients. This is so unlike Asian cooking. Asian cooking usually involve a long list of ingredients and it is fine to not use all the best or freshest ingredients. The long list of ingredients come together and the end product is a medley of the wonderful flavors.

This makes a delicious simple meal, a no fuss hors d'oeuvre, or a portable picnic meal. I have even taken it tailgating. Who takes tortilla Espanola to a tailgate? Why not?

This is sometimes referred to as a Spanish omelet but I find it very un-omelet-like. The dish is more about the potatoes than the eggs. In fact there is only enough eggs to bind everything together. I've seen several recipes that use a lot more eggs. I find that the proportion of 4 yukon gold potatoes and 4 eggs perfect.

Tortilla Espanola also reminds me of Pommes Anna or Potatoes Anna. The ingredients are slightly different.

Tortilla Espanola

½ cup olive oil
1 large onion
3-4 medium potatoes
4 extra large eggs
sea salt
pepper


1. Peel and thinly slice the potatoes and onions. You can use a mandoline or a food processor but I find it pretty easy to slice with my all-purpose chef knife. Why dirty another item if it is not necessary?

2. Heat oil in a 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, add the potato slices and onions.
3. Cook the potatoes until they are tender. Turn the potatoes every few minutes You do not want the potatoes to brown or get too crispy. It is almost like boiling the potatoes in oil. This can take a little while. Nuke the potatoes after frying for a few minutes if you get impatient. Season potatoes with salt & pepper when done.
4. In a large bowl, beat eggs with salt & pepper.
5. Drain the potatoes, reserving the oil.
6. Let the potato mixture cool slightly and then add to the egg mixture. Let this sit for about 10 minutes. You want the potatoes to absorb the eggs.
7. While the mixture is sitting, clean out the skillet.
8. After the mixture sits for 10 minutes, heat the cleaned skillet over medium heat. Add enough of the reserved oil to coat. Cook about 5 minutes.
9. Using a spatula, loosen the edges of the tortilla to make sure it will slide from the pan. Carefully slide the tortilla on to a plate. Cover with another plate and invert. Add a little more oil to the pan. Carefully slide the tortilla in the skillet. Cook another 5 minutes.

After the flip. The pan is a little messy but it wasn't a complete disaster.

10. To serve, slice into wedges or little cubes. Serve the tortilla warm or at room temperature.

The bf thinks the little cubes are too small. He usually will cut the tortilla in half and place half on his plate.

Note: If you do not want to risk the flipping, you can cook in an ovenproof skillet and put the tortilla in a preheated oven and bake until the top sets.