la tortilla española • the Spanish tortilla

Potatoes are cheap. Unfortunately the ones I bought this week came all the way from England. I don’t understand how it is possible that 5 kilos of English potatoes can be sold at a supermarket in Barcelona for 57 cents. Not 57 cents per kilo, 57 cents for a 5-kilo bag. It blows me away. Such are the times I guess.

In Spain the word “crise” is not only on everyone’s mouth, but also on advertisements everywhere. There are “anti-crise” promotions at the banks and many restaurants display their “menu anti-crise.” The unemployment rate has plummeted beyond 20%. Things are tough in Gaudí land! 

As I was making a tortilla today, my housemate called me the “tortilla queen” and proceeded to tell me that my tortillas are much better than the ones sold at the bars around the city. I was flabbergasted!  It is true that the quality of the food in most bars and restaurants in Barcelona is very very low. Yucky stuff indeed.

So, to go with the “crise” theme, and because I have been crowned “the queen of tortilla,” let’s focus on this dish, which I consider the most basic and cheapest item of the Spanish cuisine.

I make tortillas out of all kinds of things that most Spaniards would never imagine. But one must first learn the rule in order to break it intelligently. Once you have gotten the basic one down, you can let your creativity loose, my friends! So here we go, this is how I make the basic tortilla:

I. Potatoes (skin removed and cut into thin round slices)

II. Add them to some olive oil on medium heat (olive oil is delicate, so do not over heat it!)

III. Fry the potatoes (It’s not deep-frying. I cover them and once in a while uncover and stir gently).

IV. Meanwhile, slice some onions lengthwise.

V. Once the potatoes are done, remove them onto a plate. Drain the remaining oil off the pan and into a jar (where it can stored until it is reused for a future tortilla).

VI. Add the onions onto the pan with a little oil. Cook the onions.

VII. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl with some salt and pepper.

VIII. Once the onions are done, add them to the bowl. Then add the potatoes. Stir everything very well and return to the pan. (Make sure there is enough oil still coating the pan to prevent tortilla from sticking). Cover (still on medium heat).

IX. Uncover and have a look. Check to see if it is free from the bottom. (If stuck, well, the only thing to do is try to de-stick it). When it has set and there is still a little liquid on the top, put the lid back on (or a perfect fitting plate), then turn it over and back onto the pan, but on the liquidy side. Makes sense?

X. Gently accommodate everything down. No need to cover again. Let it cook for a few minutes and it’s done!

As I find it incredibly difficult to stay within any recipe’s boundaries. I always add spices to this recipe. I cook the onions with black pepper. I also add cumin and paprika to the eggs. Perhaps that is what makes my tortilla better than the Barcelona bars’ versions to the palate of my housemate? It’s a possibility!