Recipes from Spain - Tortilla de Patata

Thought it was about time I added some of my favourite recipes of Spanish dishes. Here is a nice and easy dish to start with, simplicity is sometimes the best and the famous tortilla de Patatas

( Potato Omelet ) has to be one of the most famous and delicious of them all. Like so many good mediterranean dishes, it comes from a poor background and uses basic cheap local ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

1/4 kg potatoes

6 eggs 1dl oil

1 onion Seasoning

Salt and pepper

PREPARATION

Peel the potatoes, wash them thoroughly and cut them into small pieces, the size depends on personal choice really some people like the bigger chunks and vice versa. Finely chop the onion. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and then add the onion. Sautée the onion until it is slightly brown and then add the potatoes and a little salt. Stir the contents until the potatoes are cooked, they shouldn't be overdone though, firm but not raw is better.

Beat the eggs, add a pinch of salt and then spoon out the potatoes and onions from the oil adding it to the egg mixture. Mix well. Turn the heart up under the frying pan and return to the pan Brown on one side and then turn the omelet over by placing a large plate over the top of the pan with a cloth held under the plate so that you don't burn your hand quickly turn the pan over so the tortilla drops onto the plate, then slide the omelet from the plate back into the pan on the undercooked side to brown. Remove from pan and let it sit for 5 minutes before serving in large wedges.

Some nice variations to this simple but tasty dish : try adding small smokey bacon pieces with the onions. It is also a good idea that when the tortilla looks nice and brown and almost ready to be removed from the pan, drop in a knob of butter and run it around the edge of the pan so the butter melts evenly under the tortilla, cook for a further 2 minutes on both sides, this will give it a rich golden colour and make your tortilla look even more delicious.

Please remember to use good quality extra virgin olive oil, it really does make all the difference.

Gary - The flying Chef

Click below to see a full list of recipes I have placed on the Spain-Guides web site.

http://spainguides.com/recipes.html