“Tortilla española” aka, the “Spanish omelette”
Let me share with you the recipe I first learned from my family — the humble Spanish omelette. In my opinion, it is the unofficial Spanish national dish, I'm not kidding!
It is so important to our culture, that it has idioms based around it. It is also eaten at any time, for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
It is the “queen of all tapas”; the plate to bring to a picnic; the “ake-away container to take to work. It's one of those weekly recipes, that everyone across the Iberian peninsula makes at home.
Let me put that statement in context; Spain is made up of 17 distinct autonomous communities that are similar to the states and territories in Australia. These are 17 separate regions, each with their own gastronomic histories; different topographies, and range of climates, et cetera.
We are all quite different in many ways! However, there is one recipe that unites us, the one that all of our mums cooked for us and created our passion and love for it. Just three humble ingredients: potatoes, good quality organic eggs, and onion. Served either hot, warm or cold, as a side, main, or even as tapas (snack).
In the capital of Spain, Madrid, they even serve it in sandwiches with homemade aioli and roasted capsicums. Some people actually claim it to be a hangover cure! I don't know if this is true, but it is definitely one of the must-try dishes when visiting my home city.
If you “Google” this recipe, you'll see that some people prefer it with onion and others without. This is just a matter of personal taste, but understand that onion, after being slowly fried (almost confit it actually) adds a little bit of sweetness to the recipe.
I, personally, like it with onion! And when it is cooked well, it blows my mind to see how three simple ingredients, can be transformed into something so incredibly yummy! Give it a try at home, and you'll see how your family starts commenting about it from bite number one. The smell in the kitchen is amazing!
For best results, look for old varieties of potatoes, amazing free-range local eggs, and a good brown onion. I personally fry everything with extra virgin olive oil and then strain it and keep it in an olive oil tin to reuse it the following week. That way there is no waste and the oil gets more and more flavour!
Although it is a very easy recipe, they are a few tips to know:
Start frying from cold oil.
The oil should just cover the potatoes and onions.
Use a wooden spoon to stir the potatoes and be very careful to not burn yourself!
How to know when it is ready? When your potatoes and onions are soft.
Strain the potatoes and onion into a bowl.
Whisk your eggs and seasoning really well.
Add the potato mix to the whisked eggs.
Keep the bowl with hot oil aside, to cool off (so there won't be accidents!)
Put a non-stick pan on the stove (must be non-stick).
Place the egg and potatoes mix onto the hot pan.
With a plastic spatula, start forming the sides.
Turn the heat down.
Put a large plate (wider than the pan) on top and flip the omelette.
Put the pan on the stove and turn the heat up.
Add the omelette to the pan, leaving the cooked part on top.
Turn the heat off and shake the pan in small circles to avoid it getting stuck.
Cook the omelette depending on personal taste (from rare-ish to well-done).
Put a new plate on top and flip it again, achieving a delicious golden brown Spanish omelette.
To make a Spanish omelette like a pro, you need to practise a lot. Don’t worry if your first effort doesn't look like mine in the picture. You'll soon start feeling more comfortable with the technique, little by little, and your family will be forever grateful!
Tips? Use local potatoes, organic eggs, and onions. We live in a town where we have awesome products to make Spanish omelettes, so let's support our local producers while we eat Spanish food at home.
'Tortilla española' aka Spanish omelette.
INGREDIENTS
- 1kg potatoes, peeled and chopped.
- 1 onion, sliced thinly.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
- 8 eggs, whisked well.
- Seasoning.
METHOD
- Peel the potatoes and slice them thinly.
- Peel and slice the onion.
- In a fry pan, add the oil, onion and potatoes. Then turn it on.
- Fry everything on a medium heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon.
- When the potato mix is tender (30 min or so), drain the mix with a colander. (Important! Keep the oil for future preparations.)
- In another bowl, crack the eggs and whisk well with a little bit of seasoning.
- Place the potato mix then with the whisked eggs. Stir well.
- Put a NON-STICK PAN on the stove. Add a tiny bit of oil and coat the surface well. When hot, add the egg and potato mixture into it.
- Let it set on the bottom, regulating the heat so it doesn't brown too fast.
- Use a spatula to firm the edges of the omelette all around its circumference.
- Shake the pan to keep it loose on the bottom. Season well if necessary.
- When you feel it is set (about 5 min), place a plate facing down on top of the pan. Turn the omelette out on the plate.
- Adjust the temperature and add a tiny bit of oil if necessary. Slide the omelette back in the pan and cook the other half. Repeat the same steps until desire consistency.
- Finally, put the plate over the pan and flip it out once again. Then, serve it hot or cold, as a main or as a tapas, in wedges or bite-sized.
Important note: The level of doneness of Spanish omelettes depends on your personal taste. Think about this recipe like a steak; some people prefer it rare-ish, others well-done.
Enjoy!