Tortilla is one of the dopest Spanish dishes out there – it’s simple and so freaking delicious, everyone in the sunny Kingdom loves it. You can have it hot for dinner, as a cold appetizer in bars, or as one of the top three most common breakfasts in Spain. And the best part? You can use any ingredients you want – veggies, mushrooms, sausages, chicken, shrimp, fish, jamon, you name it – to make this omelette your own. Every Spanish hostess has her own favorite combo. But if you’re ever in a Spanish supermarket, you’ll always find tortilla in three main flavors: classic, with onions, and with spinach.
Now, here’s what you’ll need to make a bomb-ass tortilla: some potatoes (about 350 g. peeled), an onion (or two, if you’re feeling extra), and some eggs. The amount of each ingredient isn’t set in stone, so you can tweak it however you like.
To make this masterpiece, grab two pans: one with a wide 26 cm diameter for frying the potatoes and onions, and another with a 20 cm diameter for finishing off the omelette. This will make it thick enough, just like they do in Spain.
So get cooking, and enjoy your tasty tortilla, amigos!
Ingredients
- Potatoes 300 g
- Eggs 4 pcs.
- Onion 80-100 g
- Oive oil 70-80 g
- Salt 1/4 teaspoon
- Ground black pepper to taste
How to cook tortilla de patatas (a Spanish tortilla)
Step 1. Get everything you need to whip up a Spanish tortilla.
Step 2. Chop and dice the onion to your preferred size. Whether you like it small like me do or large, it’s all up to you. No strict rules here.
Step 3. Peel, wash, and slice the potatoes into small pieces. Get ready to start cooking.
Step 4. Heat up your pan (mine’s 26 cm in diameter), pour in a good amount of olive oil (at least 70-80 g, more is better), and wait for it to heat up. Toss in the onions and fry for about a minute on medium heat.
Step 5. Add the potatoes to the pan and stir well. Fry them until tender for around 10-15 minutes on medium heat, stirring frequently. Make sure the hot oil coats each piece of potato. Don’t deep fry them, though. We’re looking for a cross between frying and deep-frying. By the end, you should have potatoes that aren’t too crispy or fried but are a beautiful golden color with a slight caramelization.
Step 6. First, let’s beat 4 eggs in a bowl using a whisk or fork until the yolks and proteins combine.
Step 7. When the potatoes and onions are done, remove them from the pan with a slotted spoon and transfer them to the bowl with eggs. Make sure they are still hot. Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt, pepper to taste, and mix everything well. Cover the bowl with a lid or foil and leave it for 15-20 minutes.
Step 8. Heat up a small amount of vegetable oil in a 20 cm diameter pan. Pour the egg and potato mixture into the pan, cover it with a lid and cook it over medium heat for about 6-7 minutes, until the top is still a little liquid.
Step 9. To flip the tortilla, we will use a plate. Run a spatula along the edges of the tortilla, shake the pan to make sure it’s not stuck, then cover the pan with a flat plate that’s big enough. Flip the pan onto the plate and carefully slide the tortilla back into the pan with the other side facing down. Cook it for another 2-3 minutes on medium heat.
Step 10. Take the pan off the heat and carefully transfer the tortilla to a large flat plate in the same way as before. Your Spanish tortilla is ready! Serve it hot and enjoy the delicious caramelized flavor of the onions and potatoes. It’s perfect for breakfast or afternoon tea. Bon appetit!
How to serve tortilla de patatas
The side dish and drink will depend on how the Spanish omelet is served. If this is a hot dish, then the priority, of course, is a variety of vegetable side dishes: warm and cold salads, grilled vegetables, pickles, canned white asparagus, fried / baked mushrooms, and so on. If the tortilla acts as an appetizer, then cheeses, jamon, various sausages, olives, mussels in tomato sauce, small sandwiches and canapes are served with it. As drinks in these cases are ideal: beer, red, white, rose or sparkling wine. For breakfast, a Spanish omelette is also served with vegetables – cucumber, tomato or grated carrots. You can also add avocado and lettuce. And as a drink, of course, a cup of aromatic coffee.
