Tortilla de Espana (Tontos de Abril)

After many attempts to choke down the ubiquitous "Tortilla de Espana", I have found a sure-fire way to eat the darn things politely.

Several weeks before you leave for Spain, you should eat at McDonald's as often as you can. Save up all the little packets of ketchup you can and when you are presented with the dreaded potato and egg concoction, slather it in as much ketchup as you can carry and slide it down. Anything you can't finish can be hidden in one of the small napkins provided and discarded on the floor, which will be filthy anyway.

Tontos de Abril a todos!

Is that supposed to be tortilla española, a.k.a. tortilla de patatas? I LOVE THAT STUFF!!! Wow, that's great. I like it alone, cold, warm, in a sandwich, with or without bravas sauce. Mmmmm.. So good. I should be eating some of that Spanish staple in about 24 hours! Can't wait. See you soon, Mongo!

Saludos, MadridMan

Come on Madrid Man! Everyone knows that a "Real Spanish ommelette" has tomatoes, green peppers, Pace picante sauce and monterrey jack cheese.

I hope my plane isn't late, I arrive at 2pm on the 16th!

Hahahahaaha... Mongo. I know you were teasing above, but that which you describe is NOT a "Spanish Ommelette" but rather "Huevos Rancheros" - WHICH I ABSOLUTELY LOVE, by the way. :p I'm looking forward to THE REAL THING in Spain. Mmmmm......

Saludos, MadridMan (tick - tock....)

NO NO NO MM....that's not Huevos Rancheros. What Mongo described is an American Spanish omelette. Huevos Ranchos is fried eggs,(overeasy or sunnyside up)with picante sauce over them. HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM. Some folks place a fried corn tortilla on the bottom of the plate, pour salsa over it then place the eggs on top then bathe the eggs with additional salsa. Hay...Dios Mio! Tengo que aprovercharlo ahora mismo!!!

Good one, i almost couldn't believe what i was reading until i got to the last line . yuuuuuuummmm
It made me remember my host brother in Granada. He is 4, and HATES tortilla de patatas with a passion. He did just what you described...he would cover the ENTIRE thing in ketchup and eat it that way....no joke
Kelly

Not a good plan to read this thread in the late afternoon. Now I´m hungry for tortilla española and huevos rancheros!

Huevos rancheros in New Mexico (green salsa, of course!) mmmmmmm......

For the record, I love a good tortilla española and one was actually cooking on the stove as I wrote my post!

The "pincho" (small serving) I had this morning at Cervecerí San Andrés was good. And then, when we got "home", my ladyfriend made another for later. Mmm.. Mmmm.. Mmmm... :p

Saludos, MadridMan

I share with you guys the way I cook "la tortilla de patatas" (sorry about my english)

Ingredients for the basic recipe:

8 eggs
1 kg of potatoes
Olive oil (1/4 of a liter)
Salt

Optional:

1/2 big onion

Steps:

1) Wash and cut potatoes in thin slices. Once the olive oil is hot, salt a bit and fry potatoes. Once they are golden fried. Put them in bowl with paper towels to dry up the oil. If you like it with onions, fry onions as well.

2) Beat eggs in a large bowl with a fork and add a little bit of salt. Pour fried potatoes (and onions if that is the case), mixing everything very well.

3) Start heating up the frying pan with just a couple of tablespoon of olive oil, and add potatoes-eggs mixture (and onions, again, if that is the case) Lower the heat to medium-high. Shake frying pan to prevent the tortilla to stick (crucial step!!) When potatoes start to brown, put a plate on top of pan and flip to cook other side, adding another tablespoon of olive oil. Brown on the other side. Can flip several times for a better cooking.

that´s it!

That is how I make thewm as well, however, I do not completely "fry" them, I like them soft, so I really sautee them until they are soft, yet cooked, I love it with red pimiento as well. I'm sure many of us have a variation of the tortilla. Maybe we could get some of those ideas on this thread? mmmmmm...
Please pass the alioli.

I remember when I was a foreign exchange student in Rockford IL in 1992 when we once got together to cook tipical dishes in a party and I chose to cook "tortilla española" . We were a bunch of students from all over the world and the japaneses where taking lots of picture when I was flipping the tortilla over (which could either turn into a mess or come out successfully). It was pretty funny...

I love Tortilla de patata (con cebollas). When I fly to Spain I take a small one to eat in the airport's departure area (because the flights take off pretty late and they don't serve a meal until about 10:00 PM). It drives the people around me 'bananas!'

Sunday for brunch I had a Chorizo omelette. The Chorizo was picante and the omelette was great. Next time, I will have it 'open faced' w/peppers and onions and call it a quiche.

sounds pretty good eddie, I am getting hungry (it is about "comida" time here in Madrid)

I was wondering what the meaning of "Tontos de Abril" was, do you mean April´s fools day?. If that is the case, In Spain is called: "dia de los inocentes" and it is celebrated the 28th of December.

I love tortilla espanola. When I was in Spain I ate it everyday. Is it traditional to put a little piece of roasted green pepper on top? It seems like it always had that - or maybe it was just that way in the train station and I ate there a lot. I love that little extra roasted pepper. Every time I've had it here in the states, it's served plain.

Here's another question - When I make it at home, it's always a tiny bit raw inside. I can't seem to cook the inside perfectly without burning it on the outside. Any tips? I'll practice more, I guess...

I love tortilla espanola. When I was in Spain I ate it everyday. Is it traditional to put a little piece of roasted green pepper on top? It seems like it always had that - or maybe it was just that way in the train station and I ate there a lot. I love that little extra roasted pepper. Every time I've had it here in the states, it's served plain.

Here's another question - When I make it at home, it's always a tiny bit raw inside. I can't seem to cook the inside perfectly without burning it on the outside. Any tips? I'll practice more, I guess...

Tortilla Española,(con cebollas) aka,
Tortilla de patatas?
Yes bye far one of the best Spanish past times.
@the beach, Mid day, Hmmmm..
With fresh baked bread. Hmmm...
I'll be there on the 8/21 Yummmy..

Chicagoan try to turn down your heat.& also
flip 2-3 times then let it set for 3-5mins.
I also like my potatoes Not browned But cooked.
Always use some onion. Slice thin..

To avoid the tortilla to be burned but at the same time avoid the tortilla for not being well cooked on the inside put kitchen at mid level, but also inclinate the pan a little bit, so the liquid gets in by the sides of the pan.

About the green paper on top, that is how the usually prepare it in bars when you ask for a a) "pulga de tortilla" or a b) "bocadillo de tortilla"

a) Small french stick bread with tortilla
b) French stick bread with tortilla

Adios!