Recipe: Tortilla de Patatas
(Spanish Potato and Onion Omelette)
Serves 2 to 4| Prep Time 1/4 hour | Resting Time 10 minutes | Cooking Time 45 minutes total
Ingredients
- 250 grams potatoes (preferably Yukon Gold)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 small yellow onion
- Canola oil (to fill a heavy pot)
- 2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Cut the potatoes in half on the long side. If the potato is particularly large cut into quarters.
- Cut 1/8 inch slices. If not using right away place in a bowl with water and a squeeze of lemon, to prevent the potatoes from oxidizing.
- Fill 3/4 of a heavy pot with canola oil (it is very important to leave at least 1/4 of an inch at the top to prevent spilling).
- Bring to 210 F. Once the oil is at temperature cook the potatoes in batches, if necessary. The goal is to obtain a very tender potato that still holds its shape.
- Meanwhile dice your onions pretty small, and sweat at very low heat, with a pinch of salt, until fully cooked, soft and translucent.
- When the potatoes are ready strain them, and place in a large bowl.
- Crack the eggs into a large bowl and stir with a fork to combine the yolk and the egg white.
- Mix in the cooked onions.
- Stir the salt into the egg and onion mixture and combine well until well mixed.
- Pour the potatoes into the egg mixture and fold using a flexible spatula, being careful to preserve the shape of the potatoes. Every surface of the potatoes should be well coated with egg.
- Oil a 9 inch non-stick pan and heat to the smoking point. The goal is to form an instant crust when we pour the tortilla mixture.
- Pour the tortilla mixture into the pan, shaking vigorously at the beginning and use a spatula to make sure the top surface is flat.
- Place in the oven for about 20 minutes. The eggs should have cooked and the tortilla feel firm to the touch.
- Carefully remove from the oven, making sure to use a mitten, and shake vigorously to make sure the tortilla is not stuck.
- Cover the pan with a large dish and using one hand on top of the plate and the other on the pan handle invert quickly letting the tortilla fall into the plate.
- Allow to cool slightly, allowing the eggs to set even more.
- Cut into wedges and serve.
Notes
Tortilla de patatas is everywhere in Spain. A versatile food that can be eaten warm or cold, it is served as part of a tapas menu or as a meal in itself.
There are many ways to prepare it.
In Spain, where eggs are of very good quality, it is served sometimes really thin with a very loose and runny interior.
The most difficult part of making a good tortilla is to flip it, as this is done when the eggs are still very loose.
We explain here a foolproof method, starting the tortilla on a stovetop and finishing it in the oven, which yields a beautiful golden crust with very little effort – an almost no chance for failure.
Learn to make this and much more during our cooking class :
A Trip to Spain
