Dining “tapas” style is the Spanish tradition of eating a bunch small plates of both hot and cold foods and in my travels through Spain years ago, Healthier Tortilla Española is undoubtedly a popular one. It’s a style that encourages sharing, which is my kind of style. This way, I can try a bunch of things without having to commit to one. Tomato said it best when she pointed out that Lettuce and I tend to have food envy and regret when it comes to ordering entrees in restaurants- we always want to try everyone else’s and often end up regretting our own menu choices. Such is life. Anyway, tapas avoids any sort of envy and regret because the goal is to share and try everything! My cousin came to visit last year and I took her to my favorite neighborhood tapas restaurant and she insisted we get the tortilla española.
I’d never had it and tend to always order the same things, so I was definitely into it. Butternut Squash studied abroad in Madrid for a month in college amd knew what she was talking about. It was delicious and thus I was inspired to make it this week.Anyway, while the thought of what is basically a potato and onion omelet wasn’t initially all that appealing to me, it’s another example of a recipe that allows simple ingredients and flavors to shine. I mean, why wouldn’t this be good? Potatoes and eggs are a natural pairing at breakfast, and this dish simply consolidates the two into a omelet. My version is a bit on the lighter side. Most recipes suggested frying the potatoes in a bunch of oil to cook them before adding the eggs. I’m not really into using tons of oil in anything, so I tweaked the traditional recipe to sauté the potato rather than fry them. Also, I used mostly egg whites with only one yolk.
One of the other things I noticed about Spain is that, while the food is simple, they like to use really bold sides and sauces as an accompaniment. Since I did the alioli with the fish, I’m doing a sofrito with the tortilla. Sofrito sauce, this one Catalonia-style, is pretty much a cooked salsa comprised of tomatoes, onions, peppers and spices. I was also intrigued because this recipe used sage, a flavor I never would have expected in a salsa. Nevertheless, it worked splendidly. Atop my tortilla, it’s part of a tasty filling breakfast.
One of the other things I noticed about Spain is that, while the food is simple, they like to use really bold sides and sauces as an accompaniment. Since I did the alioli with the fish, I’m doing a sofrito with the tortilla. Sofrito sauce, this one Catalonia-style, is pretty much a cooked salsa comprised of tomatoes, onions, peppers and spices. I was also intrigued because this recipe used sage, a flavor I never would have expected in a salsa. Nevertheless, it worked splendidly. Atop my tortilla, it’s part of a tasty filling breakfast.
Healthier Tortilla Espanola
December 14, 2012
: 4
Ingredients
- 2 medium potatoes, about 4 cups
- 1/2 large Spanish onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 whole large eggs
- 3 egg whites
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp smoked Spanish paprika
Directions
- Step 1 Peel the potatoes and slice thinly with a mandolin.
- Step 2 Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet (or other large pan) and sauté them until the potatoes are cooked, lightly browned on each side. Remove from the skillet.
- Step 3 Add the onion and cook until translucent.
- Step 4 Beat the eggs and whites in a separate bowl with salt and pepper. Add the potatoes and onion and mix well. Let sit about 5 minutes.
- Step 5 Over medium heat, pour the potato and egg mixture back into a smaller sauté pan and press down to fully cover the bottom of the pan into a flat disk. Cover and cook about 5-10 minutes until the bottom is browned.
- Step 6 Using the lid or another plate, flip the omelet and return to the pan to cook the other side. When the second side is brown and the middle of the omelet is set, remove and plate. Let sit about 5 minutes before slicing.
