FoodieAtlas
Recipes around the World
The Spanish tortilla is nothing like a Mexican tortilla: it is a thick omelet of potato and egg, cooked in enough olive oil to partially confit the potato slices before they are combined with beaten egg and formed into a cake in the pan. The dish requires a flip — the tricky moment where the half-cooked tortilla is turned onto a plate and slid back into the pan to cook the other side — and the question of how cooked the center should be divides Spain: the Basque prefer it wet and almost liquid (jugosa), while Madrid tends toward a more set interior. It is eaten at room temperature, not hot from the pan, which makes it ideal for tapas bars that prepare them hours in advance. A good tortilla with only potato, egg, and olive oil (and sometimes onion, which adds its own controversy) is one of Spain's most argued-over and quietly difficult dishes.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
Add the thinly sliced potatoes and onions to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender but not browned, about 15-20 minutes.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the potatoes and onions to a bowl. Reserve the oil.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Gently fold the cooked potatoes and onions into the beaten eggs, making sure they are well coated with the egg mixture.
Heat a few tablespoons of the reserved olive oil in the frying pan over medium heat.
Pour the egg, potato, and onion mixture into the pan, spreading it out evenly.
Cook on medium-low heat until the edges start to set, about 5-7 minutes. Gently shake the pan occasionally to prevent sticking.
Place a large plate over the frying pan and carefully invert the tortilla onto the plate.
Add a bit more of the reserved oil to the pan if needed, then slide the tortilla back into the pan, uncooked side down.
Cook for another 5 minutes, or until the tortilla is fully set and cooked through.
Let the tortilla cool slightly before slicing it into wedges.
Tortilla Española can be served warm or at room temperature, often accompanied by a simple green salad or as part of a tapas spread.
Thick Spanish potato-egg omelet; cooked in olive oil; served at room temperature.
Spain; documented in the 19th century in Navarra; became a national staple across all regions.
Starchy potatoes (slowly cooked in olive oil until tender), eggs, olive oil, salt; onion is optional and debated.
Cook the potatoes slowly in oil (confit method) before adding eggs — this gives the tortilla its creamy interior; don't rush with high heat.
Pan con tomate, alioli, or simply eaten alone at room temperature; dry sherry (Manzanilla) or cold beer.