Spanish Tortilla

Tortilla de patatas – a Spanish tapas classic

I order this as often as I can whenever I am in Spain. Each café has its own slight variations on this traditional Spanish dish and I often wonder how they make them. If you look online for recipes, you will often see them being cooed on one side and finished off in the oven or under the grill, which I have been assured by many a Spaniard is not the correct way to make it. Instead, the potatoes and onions are sautéed in a lot of olive oil slowly until soft, left to rest in the egg mixture and then briefly cooked on both sides.

I wrote down this recipe while watching Spanish chef, Omar Allibhoy, on television. I couldn't find it written down anywhere, so I thought I would share it with you. The secret is all in the technique, so I would recommend looking him up and watching him make it.You can find a video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JceGMNG7rpU

INGREDIENTS

• 500ml Olive Oil*

• 1 Onion, halved and thinly sliced

• 3-4 Waxy Potatoes, halved and thinly sliced (about 3mm)

*You may get a bit of a shock oil seeing the amount of olive oil needed, but once finished, you can leave it to cool, pour it over a sieve and re-use it about 6 more times for tortillas (or just use on salads)

METHOD

• Heat a pan on a high heat until nice and hot

• Add all the olive oil and let it get hot

• Add the onions and potatoes and cook on a medium high heat for 15minutes. (Do not stir; just give everything a good turn every 5 minutes)

• Break 6 eggs into a large mixing bowl (but do not whisk)

• Using a slotted spoon to drain the oil off, add the onion and potato mixed to the eggs, laying them on top

• Season with a teaspoon of salt and gently mix everything together

• Cover the bowl and leave to rest for 20 minutes

• Heat a non stick pan on a high heat until hot (no oil needed)

• Tip the mixture in and cook for 1 minute on a high heat

• Turn down the heat and cook for another 2 minutes

• Flip over by putting a large plate on top of the pan, flipping the omelette onto the plate and then sliding it back into the pan (using a tea towel as not to burn your hands!)

• Cook the other side for 1 minute on a high heat, then for 2 minutes on a low heat (

When finished, it should be bouncy and just set! And trust me, oh. so. good.

Enjoy! Joseph x