I need to make a breakfast entree for our office "bake out" (about 30 persons)and wanted to share my favorite morning snack that I enjoyed in many "bars" in Northern Spain.Any special technique or ingredients I should know about?In homes, is this dish presented differently or with any special accompaniments?

OK Karen,

Here it goes:

Tortilla de patatas (5-7 servings);

You need:

-A cup of olive oil
-21 ounces of sliced potatoes, or four very large ones (very thin, no more than 1.5 inches)
-4 thinly sliced onions
-3 eggs
-A pinch of salt

-A non-stick frying pan (7.9 inches diameter, 2 inches depth aprox.)
-A bowl, a fork, a spoon and a plate

Heat the oil in the pan, fry the potatoes & onions (one slice at a time so that they don't stick would be best), putting a lid on, but also giving them a stir from time to time, simmer for 15 minutes until they're tender and not brown.
Allow the excess of oil to drain from the potato mix, and save a tablespoon of it.
In a bowl, beat the eggs using a fork, with salt to taste; add the potato mix, blend it all with the help of a spoon.
In the same pan, heat up the oil that we'd saved; once you've spread the mixture quickly, smooth it a little bit, and lower the heat to from high to low. Shake the pan to prevent sticking, it's crucial!!
When the potatoes start to brown, and with the help of a plate, turn around and brown on the other side, you can flip it more times for better cooking....


.... :p And that is your very simple, but 'riquiiisima' TORTILLA ESPAÑOLA y OLE!!!

pim

It's trying to flip the tortilla that's the most difficult part - every single time I end up with a most unattractive mess! Any secrets for us less-coordinated folk who can't seem to make the plate trick work? :o

My ladyfriend always gets me to do the tortilla flip. It can be difficult as the pan + tortilla is rather heavy and the plate can be slippery. I can make the flip successfully 9 out of 10 times. (the 10th time the tortilla ends up falling into the sink )

I mix and flip the potato/onion/egg mixture several times quickly with a spatula just after pouring it into the pan. (Be sure the pan and the oil in it are very hot.) This gets some of the middle of the tortilla cooked right from the start. Then I cover it with a lid, turn down the heat, and wait a few minutes before flipping the whole thing with a dish. The whole thing is more likely to stay together because the middle isn't so runny. Of course, if you are among those who like your tortilla runny, this may not be the best method for you...

By this plate flipping thing do you mean you cover the pan w/the plate, flip it over on to the plate, then slide it back into the pan? If so then is a plate that is quite flat and without much of a raised ledge the best? Also, how much of the cup of olive oil do you actually have left in the pan for the cooking of the mixture? Just a well coated pan, or actually a measurable amount? and ps....thanks all,so much for the lesson!

My thoughts exactly, how about using something like a pizza pan to flip it over? (It still seems like a very precarious maneuver!)

Diana wrote: posted 12-04-2001 11:31 AM
"I mix and flip the potato/onion/egg mixture several times quickly with a spatula just after pouring it into the pan."

Can you explain a little more, Diana? When I imagine doing this, I foresee my tortilla becoming scrambled eggs. Not sure ...

There must be an olive oil thread somewhere, but just to confirm, we are referring to light olive oil, right?

(Churrito, who has been wanting to attempt this culinary feat ... and would live on take out if her spanish friends didn't prepare cenas every week)

thank you!

It's usually done with a plate....just find one with smooth edges and give yourself a few practice runs before it's expected to turn out properly .

Churrito, it's the scrambled egg idea, but you stop well before it ALL gets cooked. Since you have a lot more stuff in the pan than you would with a few scrambled eggs, you have a little more time to do it. If you do it too long, you're right, you'd have lumpy scrambled eggs! So the key is to stop mixing when it's about half-cooked and half runny. That way, when you cover it and turn down the heat, it has time to all stick together as it finishes cooking. Then flipping it is a breeze.

Light olive oil is good, but really, any type of olive oil will do the job.

Oh, I'm so hungry now for tortilla...I guess we'll just have to have some tonight for dinner!! (BTW, I made an AWESOME paella last Friday! Spanish food sure is addicting! Why eat anything else? )

[ 12-04-2001: Message edited by: Diana ]

Diana, Thanks for the instructions.
Will try in the next few days and let you know.
Puna (who seems to always end up with either scrambled eggs in the pan - or scrambled eggs in the sink)