Spanish Tortilla
Tortilla de Patatas
Just four ingredients make a tortilla, one of the bedrocks of Spanish cooking. When guests taste your tortilla and hear the ingredients, they may be incredulous. On a warm day, a chilled rosé from Navarre makes a lovely pairing fora tortilla. A red Navarre makes a good match on cooler days.
3 ½ lbs / 1.5 kg potatoes preferably golden, peeled and diced
1 cup olive oil
4 large eggs
1 ½ tsp salt
Prepare the potatoes and season with 1 tsp salt.
Heat the olive oil on medium heat in a deep 10-inch non-stick frying pan. The olive oil has reached the right temperature when a piece of diced potato begins to sizzle. Carefully add the potatoes to the olive oil, raising the heat. When the oil begins to sizzle (2 - 3 minutes), reduce the heat to medium and fry the potatoes for 20 minutes, turning occasionally until the edges of the potatoes begin to turn golden.
While the potatoes are cooking beat the eggs with remaining ½ tsp of salt.
When the potatoes are golden, remove from the heat. Use a large slotted spoon to transfer them into the bowl which contains the eggs, leaving the oil in the frying pan. Fold the potatoes gently into the eggs and let them sit for 2 - 3 minutes
Remove all but 2 tbsp of the oil from the frying pan and heat once again. Gently spoon the potato and egg mixture into the frying pan. Smooth out the mixture and let it thicken in the pan on low heat for about 10 minutes. If you are in a hurry, finish the tortilla for 5 minutes under the broiler, until the centre stops being jiggly. If you want to finish the tortilla the traditional way, continue with the following steps.
To turn the tortilla, make sure that the tortilla is completely free of the frying pan by moving it from side to side. Then place a plate on the tortilla and press gently on it. *
Turn the pan over so that the tortilla sits on the plate. Then slide the tortilla back into the pan and cook on low heat for 5 more minutes.
Let the tortilla rest for 30 minutes before serving it, lukewarm
* The plate should be slightly smaller than the pan.