Tortilla de Patates
Inroduction
About this Recipe
By: Sheridan Rogers
Few of us know how to make a golden, flavourful, creamy Spanish Tortilla correctly. Ciri Gonzalez of La Encina in Palencia is Spain’s Tortilla Queen, having been nominated winner by renowned chefs such as Arzak, Ferran Adria and Berasategui at the 200, 2002 and 2008 Lomejordelagastronomia competition. Her tips? Use Kennebec potatoes; never wash the peeled potatoes: clean them with a kitchen cloth; dice and season them before frying in abundant olive oil. “This is where you have to invest, because without good olive oil and lots of it, you simply can’t come up with the Golden Ace of Spanish Gastronomy,” she advises.
Ingredients
- kennebec (or sebago) potatoes 1 kg, peeled and diced
- onion 1 large, peeled and finely chopped
- garlic 1 – 2 cloves, peeled and very finely chopped
- red or green capsicum (optional) 1, chopped and seeded
- extra virgin olive oil 400ml – 500ml
- eggs 6, whisked together
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a large pan (it needs to be about 2.5cm in depth), add the potatoes in one layer. Add the onions and garlic and toss around in the oil. Keep the heat at about medium, half cover with a lid and cook for about 15 minutes, turning and tossing frequently. Add the capsicum (if using). Cook another five minutes or so until the potatoes are soft and turning golden, continuing to toss and turn. Drain off all the oil. Beat the potatoes into the eggs. Season to taste. Take a non-stick frying pan and heat a little or the reserved oil in the pan. When it is very hot add the potato mixture and keep shaking to make sure it doesn’t stick – this should take about five minutes. Turn the tortilla out onto a plate (do it over the sink, just in case) and slide it back in to cook the other side. The second side should be cooked fast so keep shaking. It should be crisp and golden on the outside and creamy inside: a scrumptious masterwork out of simple home-grown ingredients. Serve with a light salad and crunchy bread.