Tortilla Española Clásica
Tortilla de Patatas·(tor-TEE-yah deh pah-TAH-tahs)
La Cena Ligera
For the first-generation kid who grew up in an Ohio suburb, the smell of olive oil and onions wafting through the house meant one thing: comfort. The Tortilla Española is often misunderstood in America—it's not an Italian frittata, shouldn't see the inside of an oven, and needs no paprika or cheese. Authentic Spanish home cooking takes humble ingredients and uses technique to spin them into gold. By letting the hot potatoes soak in the beaten eggs before cooking—a crucial step known as el abrazo—you create a velvety custard that tastes exactly like the homeland. Poaching the potatoes slowly takes time, so do the olive-oil poach on a Sunday, keep it in the fridge, and you can have a perfect, juicy tortilla on the table in fifteen minutes on a Tuesday.
Before you start
Confit the potatoes and onions in advance.
To make this a 15-minute weeknight meal, do the gentle poaching (Step 1) on a weekend. Store the tender potatoes and onions submerged in their cooking oil in the fridge for up to four days, then simply heat them through before draining and mixing with the eggs.
Ingredients
- Yukon Gold potatoes1 1/2 lb
- yellow onion1 med
- extra virgin olive oil1 1/2 cup
- eggs6 large
- kosher salt1 tsp
Method
- 01
Confit the potatoes and onions.
Place a large skillet over medium-low heat and pour in the olive oil. Add the sliced potatoes and onions. The oil should bubble very gently—you are confiting, not deep-frying. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are incredibly tender and the onions are translucent. In the last three minutes, turn the heat up slightly to get a hint of golden-brown on the edges.
- 02
Drain and reserve the liquid gold.
Place a large colander over a heat-proof bowl and carefully pour in the potato mixture. Let it drain for five minutes. Save the drained oil in a jar; it is infused with potato and onion flavor and is incredible for frying eggs or roasting vegetables later in the week.
- 03
Let the potatoes and eggs embrace.
In a large mixing bowl, crack the eggs and add the salt. Beat them lightly with a fork just to mix the yolks and whites—vigorous whisking introduces air and dries out the final dish. Fold the hot, drained potatoes and onions into the eggs. Walk away for 10 to 15 minutes. This resting period, 'el abrazo,' gently tempers the eggs and leaches potato starch into the liquid, creating a thick, creamy custard.
- 04
Sear the bottom of the tortilla.
Heat one tablespoon of your reserved infused olive oil in a 9-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When shimmering, pour in the entire potato-egg mixture. After 30 seconds, drop the heat to medium-low. Run a rubber spatula around the edges, tucking them inward to form a rounded border. Cook undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes until the bottom is lightly golden but the top is still quite runny.
- 05
Execute the flip.
This is a rite of passage. Place a large, completely flat plate upside down over the skillet. Place your non-dominant hand firmly against the center of the plate. In one quick, confident motion, invert the skillet and plate together. The tortilla should drop onto the plate, browned side up.
- 06
Finish cooking and rest.
Place the skillet back on the heat and gently slide the tortilla off the plate, raw side down. Tuck the edges under again with your spatula. Cook for exactly two more minutes for a juicy, soft interior (melosa). Slide onto a serving plate and rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing into wedges.
Notes
Do not fear the oil.
The massive volume of olive oil is strictly for the confit process. You will strain away and save 90 percent of it. Don't skimp in the pan, or the potatoes will fry unevenly and stick.
Potato substitution is a science.
American Russets are too starchy and will crumble; Red potatoes are too waxy and will repel the egg. Yukon Golds perfectly mimic the texture of Spain's traditional Monalisa potato.
From Cook Spanish in America.