Tortilla de Patata
If you ask a tourist what the dish of Spain is, they will probably say Paella. If you ask a Spaniard to name the dish of Spain, they will likely say “tortilla de patata”. This ubiquitous Spanish dish is one of the few that can be found pretty much in any corner of Spain; north, south, east and west. True to the Spanish people’s nature, they don’t all agree on one method or style of Tortilla. Every household has its special recipe, and every bar that serves tapas, has their signature tortilla. When on a road trip in Spain, the petrol stations with a coffee bar inside, will most certainly have tortillas being shuffled to the counter several times a day and highway drivers will elect to stop at the station with the best tortilla.
To describe a tortilla in a simplistic way, it is a potato omelet. But the similarities to an omelet, end with eggs. This is a thick, minimum one inch high pie. When cut into slices, the layers of stacked poached potatoes and onions blend into the gently cooked eggs, yielding a moist and satisfying bite that becomes addictive to most visitors.
What makes this dish so flavorful is the layering of flavors which occurs by poaching the few ingredients in olive oil, then bringing them together in a very slow, gentle, deliberate heat until golden on the outside and tender and still slightly soft, pudding like texture, on the inside.
Many in Spain have their preferred style. Some tortillas, especially in the south, can be very tall (the most difficult to make), some very thin (easiest to execute). They can be made in an 8 inch skillet, like the recipe I’m including here, but larger ones are commonplace in foodservice establishments. The larger ones are more difficult to execute because of the flipping, but very practical because it’s hard to eat just one slice.
There are also common arguments as to whether the inside eggs should be slightly runny (not my favorite), or firmed up, almost like a quiche. My goal is to have it somewhere in between. Not too firm, or too soft, medium, if you will. Add-ons are also welcome, like chorizo, ham, cheese and tomatoes. On my last trip to Spain, I went to Santander, a beautiful northern coastal city. They are known for their filled, or layered tortillas. They were delicious, but like many of the recipes I make, I tend to enjoy the simplicity of the original. I encourage you to start with the basic recipe I’ve included here, then begin to experiment.
Buen provecho!
