Tortilla de Patatas

Quite distinct from the Mexican version, Spanish tortilla has been a favorite of mine for a long time. It takes some dedication and time to prepare properly, but is well worth the effort. The dish is a simple but elegant use of potatoes. With relatively few ingredients, each gets to shine. Tortilla is characterized by the layers of fried potato slices, and with enough potatoes on hand, can get very tall. You can see the layers in the photo below, though mine only had two layers.

Ingredients

• 5-6 potatoes
• 1/2 onion
• 6 eggs
• Salt, pepper, and oregano to taste
• Olive oil

Instructions

Dice onion. Heat some olive oil in a nonstick pan. Saute onions until soft and translucent. Set aside. While onions are cooking, peel the potatoes and cut into thin slices. Working in batches, fry the potato slices. Try not to let the potato pieces overlap in the pan. Cook on both sides until they are soft enough to poke a fork through easily, and the edges are a little browned. Add a little more olive oil for each batch. Set aside and dry with a paper towel. 

Once all potatoes are cooked, transfer the onions back to the pan. Spread out evenly. Cover with a layer of potatoes, overlapping slightly. Add a little salt. Continue adding layers of potatoes until you run out. The thickness of the tortilla will depend on the area of your pan. Some tortillas can be very thick, though mine was not.

Beat the eggs and season with salt, pepper, and oregano (if desired). Pour the eggs over the potatoes and shake the pan a bit to ensure the eggs permeate. 

Perfectly golden brown.

Cook on the stove top for a few minutes, until the eggs have visibly set on the bottom. Transfer to broiler and cook until eggs are firm, and the tortilla is nicely browned. Slice and serve. Complete your Iberian feast with a cold glass of Sangria.