I wanted to be the "good" wife so I set out to make dinner and dessert. Since it was the end of the week the food supply was a bit low but I managed to pull together a salad with homemade croutons. And this:
The first time and only time I have eaten Tortilla Española was during my trip to Spain. I spent a few days in Barcelona and I must have had this dish about 85% of the time. It was cheap and easy to find. I now regret that I didn't explore a bit more with my food options but I was a college student on a tight budget. This was the last few days of a whirlwind tour of Europe and I had already broke the bank. But hey, this is a traditional meal and it was very, very good.
Since my trip I have wantd to replicate this dish. It is quite easy to make but their are two key factors that always stopped me. The potato slices should be thin. I am not the best with being patient during chopping sessions. I cut things to get the job done. I do not have good knife skills. The second key factor is having a pan that can go from stove top to oven. I only aquired this tool about 1 year ago. My trip to Europe was quite some time ago but I have only been negliecting this recipe for a year.
Adapted from Food and Wine
Ingredients :
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 pounds red bliss potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick
1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
8 large eggs
Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in saute pan and add onion slices, seasoned with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently. The salt will make the onions sweat out some extra moisture. The onions should become translucent, not browned.
2. In another pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil and add slices of potato. Boil till softened, about 10 minutes.
3.In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs and season with salt and pepper. Place potatoes on top of onion mixture and then pour eggs on top of potatoes.
3.Return the skillet to the heat. Cover and cook over low heat until the tortilla is set on the bottom and the edges, about 10 minutes.
4. Transfer the skillet to the oven and broil 8 inches from the heat just until the top is set, about 1 minute longer. Set a large plate over the skillet and carefully invert the tortilla onto the plate. Let stand for 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.
You can also roast the potatoes and onions. I think the boil method is the quickest but you will have an extra pan to wash. This was good. If you have not had tortilla espanola in the past you might think the taste is a bit bland. Mr. J spiced his up with some salsa and sour cream. He was a bit disappointed that there was no meat in this dish. In Spain the slices of tortilla espanola are served as the "meat" portion of a sandwich. I told him he should get a slice of ham and put it between two pieces of bread if he wanted some meat.
This is a great breakfast, lunch or dinner. It will last up to 3 days in the fridge and can be made in advance. It can also be served cold or hot depending on your personal taste.
I was just watching an old Rachael Ray show yesterday at the gym and she went to a tapas bar that made a Tortilla Española. I am really glad to see a recipe for it.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you did a great job to me! I have a mandolin slicer so whenever I need something really thin and uniform I use that. It definitely helps, like you, I don't have a lot of patience with cutting things properly.
ReplyDeleteI have thought about getting a mandolin for a really long time. I also feel like I have ENOUGH kitchen gadgets. With your comment though I might have to rethink my decision.
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