Spanish Tortilla

This is a delicious thing to make with waxy potatoes, there is something incredibly pleasing about the simplicity of eggs, potatoes, olive oil, seasoning and perhaps onions - although many Spanish cooks don’t even include onions in their tortillas. A nourishing dinner or packed lunch that can be made out of store cupboard ingredients.

But despite the simplicity of the ingredients - and I’ve messed around with that already by adding parsley, swapping onions for scallions and even throwing in a few flower petals - this recipe does require a little bit of skill and a good non-stick pan.

You should cook the potatoes slowly in lots of olive oil, it makes them taste delicious, and you can reuse the olive oil. You should also let the mixture rest for 15 minutes if you can as it gives a firmer, less omelette-like, result. And do cook the tortilla over a medium heat, if you cook it too high it will end up being rubbery.

To flip or not to flip. Flipping the omelette to cook the base is the traditional way but I know the idea of flipping a hot pan freaks lots of people out. So if you just don’t fancy that I’ve suggested finishing the tortilla under the grill - which is how my Mum always used to cook it for me when I was growing up. You can always let it cool and then flip it out of the pan so the more attractive fried bit is on top.

Serves 4-6

400g waxy potatoes (I used charlotte potatoes)
200ml olive oil (approximately)
100g spring onions
8 large eggs
A handful of flat leaf parsley, large stems removed
The petals from a few calendula or nasturtium flowers (optional)
Salt and black pepper

Wash the potatoes and slice them into ½ cm slices. I don’t bother to peel the potatoes as lots of the nutrients are just under the skin.

Put the potatoes in a medium non-stick (or very well-seasoned) frying pan. The frying pan I use has a diameter of 24cm. Pour over the olive oil. The oil should almost cover the potatoes, if it doesn’t add a bit more. Put the pan on a medium heat and cook for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are soft, but not crispy. You can turn the potatoes occasionally so any sticking out the top of the oil still get cooked.

Meanwhile, finely chop the spring onions and set aside. Crack the eggs into a large bowl and mix with a whisk or a fork to break up the eggs. Finely chop the parsley and add that to the eggs with the calendula or nasturtium petals. Season the eggs well with salt and pepper.

When the potatoes are almost cooked add the chopped spring onions and cook for a couple of minutes more. Use a slotted spoon to remove the potatoes and spring onions from the oil and set them on a plate to cool for five minutes. You don’t want them to scramble the egg.

Strain the oil in the frying pan into a heat proof bowl and set aside, you can reuse it for roasting vegetables or making more tortillas. Wash out the frying pan and return it to the hob.

Put the slightly cooled potatoes into the egg and mix gently trying not to break up the potatoes. Taste the mix and add more salt or pepper if needed. If you have time, leave it to rest for 15 minutes. You get a slightly better result if you leave it to sit – I think because some potato starch is released into the egg which helps keep everything together.

Heat two tablespoons olive oil (reuse the oil from earlier) in the washed out pan over a medium heat. Once hot add the potato and egg mix and cook over a medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes. Use a heatproof spatula to release the edges of the tortilla from the pan and give the pan a jiggle every so often to make sure it isn’t sticking on the bottom either.

Once the tortilla is well cooked all round the edges and you can see it is starting to brown underneath you have two options you can either flip it to cook the top (which you will see is still a bit raw) or you can put it under the grill – though if you are using the grill make sure the pan you are using has a heatproof handle.

Option 1: Flip it

This is the traditional method. Make sure the tortilla is not sticking to the pan anywhere by using a spatula and jiggling the pan. Place a large plate over the top of the frying pan and then very quickly, holding the bottom of the frying pan with an oven glove, flip the pan and plate over so the frying pan is on top with the plate underneath. The tortilla will be on the plate – fingers crossed. It can be a little bit messy as some of the raw top will run out on the plate but don’t be deterred. Now, put the pan back on the hob over a medium heat and gently slide the tortilla (raw side down) off the plate and back into the pan. Cook for another five minutes.

Option 2: Grill it

This is the non-traditional option and gives a slightly different, puffier, result. It still works very well and is how my Mum always used to make, what we called, Spanish omelettes when I was growing up. Once the tortilla is almost cooked heat the grill to medium-high and put the frying pan (providing its oven proof) under the grill. Grill for a couple of minutes until the raw top of the tortilla is cooked.

Whatever option you use leave the tortilla to cool for half an hour before slicing to serve. This is good served slightly warm or at room temperature. Serve with a green salad or tomato salad or you can even slice it an put it in a baguette for a very Spanish sandwich.