Spanish Tortilla

Ingredients

1 brown onion
1 large Dutch Cream potato (waxy or general purpose work best)
3 large eggs
60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
salt to taste

Directions

Prep
Peel and finely slice the onion, then set aside.
Peel the potato then slice into four, wedge sized pieces. Slice each wedge into thin strips crosswise 2mm thick. Add the potato slices to a bowl of cold water to rinse off the starch.
Cook the onion and potato
Place a small carbon steel pan on a medium-high heat with half of the olive oil, until the oil just begins to smoke. Add the onions and sweat with ½ tsp salt for 3-4 minutes or until transparent, stir often.
To a large bowl, add the eggs and whisk with ¼ tsp salt until harmonized.
Drain the potatoes from the water and add to the pan with onions. Turn the heat down to medium-low and stir. Continue cooking for 3-4 minutes until the potatoes are just cooked through but still hold their shape. Turn the element off and add the potatoes to the eggs. Stir to evenly distribute the hot potatoes throughout the eggs.
Cook the tortilla
Wash the pan and dry thoroughly. Place the pan back on medium-high heat with the remaining olive oil. Once the oil begins to smoke, add the egg mixture. You want the edges of the mixture to gently bubble but not fry. Tap the pan on the stove two or three times to help set the shape. The aim is for the tortilla to release from the pan, without getting any colour on the egg. If your stove has uneven heat distribution, move the pan around the element to eliminate the risk of developing dark patches.
Once the egg has set most of the way, place a flat plate on top of the pan and carefully flip. Transfer the tortilla from the plate to the pan upside down, to cook the other side.
Place a piece of kitchen paper on a clean plate. Once the tortilla have fully set, flip the tortilla out onto the plate to absorb excess moisture.
Remove the paper towel and serve.

Recipe notes

Chef Tips

Rinse the starch off the potatoes

Slice them, then drop them straight into a bowl of cold water. The surface starch is what makes the slices stick to each other and to the pan, and rinsing it off keeps them as separate pieces through the egg. Drain them properly before they go in or the water will spit in hot oil.

Storage

This is one of the few egg dishes that is arguably better an hour after you make it, once it has settled and come down to room temperature. It keeps covered in the fridge for two days and is good cold or at room temperature, cut into wedges. I wouldn’t reheat it hard, because the egg tightens and goes rubbery. Let it come up to room temperature instead. Don’t freeze it.

FAQs

Should the middle be soft? Traditionally, yes. A Spanish tortilla is meant to be slightly soft and jammy in the centre, and that’s what this recipe is aiming at. If you prefer yours closer to a fully cooked omelette, drop the heat to low and give it another two or three minutes once both sides are set.

How do I flip it without breaking it? Wait until the egg has set most of the way, so there’s a skin holding it together. Put a flat plate face down over the pan, hold it there, and turn the whole lot over in one confident movement. Then slide it off the plate back into the pan, cooked side up.

Ingredient Notes

Equipment

Ingredients

Directions

Recipe notes

Chef Tips

FAQs