Spanish Tortilla (Tortilla Espanola)
In Spain, this egg dish is often served as an appetizer (or tapa), but we find it to be a great choice for a meatless meal. Tortilla Española is different from an omelette in that the focus is on the potatoes instead of the eggs. And, because it’s flipped and cooked on both sides in the pan instead of being finished in the oven, it’s also different from the Italian frittata.
Spanish Tortilla (Tortilla Espanola)
A Spanish tortilla (Tortilla Española) is an egg and potato mixture similar to an omelette. Serve with a tossed salad for a great meatless meal.
Ingredients
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced (see notes)
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup onion, chopped
- 7 eggs
- 1/4 cup milk
- Vegetable oil
Instructions
- Place the potatoes, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the paprika in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat the potatoes evenly with the oil and seasonings.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes, cover and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring 3 or 4 times to ensure even cooking. Remove the cover and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the potatoes begin to develop some golden color. Add the onion, adjust the seasoning to taste, and continue to cook until the potatoes are lightly browned and tender, 12 to 15 minutes total. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
- While the potatoes cool, whisk the eggs together with the milk until slightly frothy. Stir in the cooled potatoes and combine well.
- Film the bottom of a large nonstick skillet with vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the egg-potato mixture and cook for 2 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking until the top of the tortilla is set (just slightly wet). Be sure to shake the pan from time to time to keep the tortilla moving freely while it cooks.
- Once the egg-potato mixture appears to be set on top, place a large, flat plate upside down on top of the pan, then flip the tortilla onto the plate. Gently slide it back into the pan to finish cooking on the second side ~ about 2 minutes should do it. Transfer to a plate and cut into wedges.
Notes
Recipe Notes:
You can use just about any potato for this dish, but Yukon Gold is our preferred variety. Dice them into small cubes, about 3/8-inch, or slice them into 1/8-inch slices and be sure to season them well during the browning process.
Serving Suggestions:
Serve the tortilla with a tossed green salad and a glass of Albariño (a dry white Spanish wine) or Pinot Grigio.
2 Comments on “Spanish Tortilla (Tortilla Espanola)”
Slicing the potatoes is much more authentic and is how it is normally done in Spain. I love this dish. It is so versatile, can be eaten for any meal, keeps and freezes well and is very inexpensive. In Spain, we often ate it cold for lunch. My little children and vegetarian family members love it too.
I love this recipe and have done something similiar for a long while. I add black olives, sliced mushrooms and top with sliced Roma tomatoes and a sprinkle of basil. It is very tasty.