Spanish omelette

For Mexican and Central American corn tortilla, see Corn tortilla. For Mexican flour tortilla, see Flour tortilla. For South American tortilla, see Sopaipilla.

Tortilla de patatas

Tortilla de patatas cut in half.
Alternative names	Tortilla española Spanish omelette
Course	Appetiser or main course
Place of origin	Spain
Serving temperature	Hot or cold
Main ingredients	Egg and potatoes
Variations	addition of onions
Cookbook: Tortilla de patatas   Media: Tortilla de patatas

The tortilla de patatas or Spanish omelette is a typical Spanish dish consisting of an egg omelette with fried potatoes. Frequently it also includes onion, depending on region or taste.

Names

Apart from the aforementioned names, this dish is sometimes also referred to as tortilla española or tortilla a la española (Template:Lang-en) to distinguish it from the plain - or "French" - omelette, with no potato filling, known as tortilla francesa. In The Americas, Andalusia and the Canary Islands, it is popularly known as tortilla de papas (papa being another word for potato in these places).

Other than its shared name in Spanish, which means "small torte", it has nothing else in common with the flatbread staple food from Latin American cuisine known as a tortilla.

Preparation

A portion of tortilla de patatas. Thickness and texture varies according to region or taste.

The potatoes and onions are sliced and fried in abundant oil (preferably olive oil) so they get fried but also boiled in the oil. Once drained from the oil, they are mixed with raw beaten eggs before being slowly fried again in a pan. The tortilla is fried first on one side and then flipped over to fry on its other side. This is done with the help of a plate or a "vuelve-tortillas" (a ceramic lid-like utensil made for this particular purpose), or by tossing it in the air and catching it again in the pan if it is not too big. Other vegetables can also be added, most commonly: red and green peppers or mushrooms. Prawns can also be added.

Care must be taken when frying/boiling the potato pieces in oil. They should ideally be cooked over a medium heat, and watched closely so they do not become golden. For North Americans attempting to recreate the classic tortilla, Yukon Gold is an excellent variety that mimics the buttery, starchy texture of the potatoes used in tortilla de patata.

It is one of the most common tapas throughout Spain and a favourite at Spanish picnics, as it can also be enjoyed cold. A tapas portion of tortilla is sometimes called pincho de tortilla as it is usually cut up into small cubes and each piece pierced with a cocktail stick.

History

The first reference to the Tortilla is found in a Navarrese document. It is an anonymous “Mousehole's memorial” addressed to Navarra's Court in 1817. It explains the paltry conditions of the farmers in contrast with Pamplona's and the Ribera's inhabitants. After listing the paltry food eaten by highlanders next quote follows: “…two to three eggs in tortilla for 5 or 6 [people] as our women do know how to make it big and thick with less eggs, mixing potatoes, breadcrumbs or whatever.

However, legend has it that it was Carlist general Tomás de Zumalacárregui who, during Bilbao's siege, created the “Tortilla de Patatas” as an easy, fast and nutritive dish to satisfy the dearth of the Carlist army. Although it remains unknown whether this is true, it appears that tortilla starting to spread during early Carlists’ wars. Other sources state that it was an anonymous housewife, in whose house the aforementioned Zumalacarregui had stopped by, who created it. According to that, the poor woman had nothing to offer but eggs, potatoes and onions, scrambled all that, which turned to please the general, who would later make it popular. Another tale is that, during the war Zumalacárregui was in the field and happened upon a farm house. He wanted a meal for him and his troops, so he demanded a meal from the wife there. All she had were a few eggs, a potato and an onion. Being under pressure, she combined all three making an omelette. Surprisingly, Zumalacárregui was pleased and he took the idea with him when he left.

Variations

Asturian tortillas de patatas, characterised by its thickness.

There are many variants for this dish, and almost every Spanish home has its own favourite way of preparing tortilla. Some of the many additions to the base ingredients include: green peppers, chorizo, courgettes, aubergines, mushrooms, or diced ham. These variations are still known as Tortilla de patatas. A peculiar variant is tortilla paisana that in addition to the potatoes and egg includes red pepper, and peas. The texture and width of the tortilla varies according to regions and taste. Tortilla is almost always accompanied by bread and frequently by pickles such as olives and gherkins. In many bars and canteens, it is served in a bocadillo (a sandwich made with crusty bread).

In Argentina a variety of potato tortillas exists where the preparation is practically identical to its ancestral Spanish, the difference being that it includes more onion (cut in fine strips) and, as in the case of tortillas of beet and spinach, two similar plates are used to mold the mixture.

Gallery

• 
  A crossection slice of tortilla de patatas, showing its inner texture of fried potatoes, onions, and egg.
• 
  Tortilla de patatas with a less fried finish.

See also

• Frittata

External links

• Spanish Tortilla Recipes
• How to Make Tortilla Espanola - Spanish Omelet Recipe
• Another Tortilla Recipe