Tortilla Española makes a fine New Year’s Day brunch.
Confessions of a Foodie
When I lived alone, I would host a yearly white elephant party, sometimes before Christmas, sometimes after New Year’s. Yes, it was about friends gathering and laughing and seeing who got the best gift or brought the funniest white elephant. But more importantly, it was about the FOOD! I loved the parties to have a theme — a different cultural cuisine every year. By far, my most successful was Spanish tapas.
On a recent Saturday morning, I sat on my sofa sipping my piping hot, homemade, quad-shot, nonfat latte when I noticed my tapas cookbook on a nearby pile of books staring at me, taunting me. Already nearly noon, I hadn’t had breakfast yet, and I was starting to feel peckish.
I picked up the cookbook, f lipped it open, and it randomly landed on a gorgeous photo of Tortilla Española (Spanish tortilla).
At least 50 percent of the meals I grew up eating were my parents’ take on Mexican food. To me, tortillas were the f latbread made from f lour or nixtamalized corn that we ate with every meal. But my first tapas experience at a local Spanish bar more than 25 years ago taught me otherwise. That was the first time I tried Tortilla Española, and expecting the tortilla I grew up on, I was surprised there wasn’t any breadlike product on the plate.
If you happen upon my food blog, besides my apparent love of Mexican food, there are two other themes woven throughout the site: First, I love eggs and, second, I’ve never met a potato I didn’t like. Tortilla Española, also called tortilla de patatas (or papas, depending on what region you’re in, both mean potatoes), consists of five humble ingredients: potatoes, onions, eggs, olive oil and salt. This particular combination is already stellar, but add the cooking technique — poaching the potatoes and onions in good quality olive oil — and this dish becomes heaven on a plate.
I made this dish for the first time about six years ago, and it instantly became a go-to favorite. I have two versions of it on my blog, serving 12 as an appetizer or serving two as a main course. Today, I’m sharing my version for two.
Tortilla Española, often referred to as a Spanish omelet, resembles an Italian frittata more than it does a folded-over and stuffed American-style omelet. Traditionally served with crusty bread, I enjoy it for weekend brunches. It also makes a simple, satisfying, light dinner along with a simply dressed green salad and a glass of slightly chilled white wine (try it with a glass of Pinot Gris or a Spanish Rioja Blanco).
The tortilla’s classic look is domelike, resulting from cooking it in a slope-sided pan. Tortilla Española is so popular in Spain that Spanish even have special pans for successful tortilla-making and special plates explicitly designed for the tortilla f lipping portion of this recipe. The thickness of the tortillas varies by region and taste. They can be as shallow as an inch and up to 4 inches in depth.
Although just five ingredients make up the traditional authentic tortilla española, you can add meat, herbs or cheese to personalize it. Try adding bits of cooked bacon, ham or chorizo to the egg mixture before adding the potatoes and onions. Rosemary, chives or parsley add a nice herbaceousness. You can either add the chopped herbs to the egg mixture or use them as a garnish. Love melty cheese? Try adding your favorite near the end of the cooking process. How about peas? Those would taste lovely in this dish, too. Mix them into the egg mixture before cooking.
This updated version is great for one (with leftovers for lunch the next day) and perfect for a New Year’s Day brunch for two.
I once got the biggest compliment when I shared this at a brunch. Our hostess commented that the taste transported her right back to Spain, reminding her of her time spent there. I couldn’t have asked for a better reaction.