Tortilla Espanola--the Queen of Tapas

In Spanish, torta means cake. Tortilla means little cake. In Mexico it means, well, what we know as tortilla, a round flat grilled disk of dough. But we are in Spain, and this is the Spanish tortilla. And it's incredibly delicious. 

As I understand it, this traditional tapas dish is the equivalent in Spain of the horiatiki (Greek village) salad in Greece. It's everywhere! Once you taste it, you'll understand why. Here's my recipe.

Tortilla Espanola is amazing in its simplicity and versatility. You can eat it hot, warm, room temperature or cold (straight out of the fridge). And, believe it or not, just like the Italian frittata, it's also great between two pieces of bread as a sandwich. The potatoes taste sweet with a creamy texture, the onion is definitely sweet and won't even offend onion-haters. It's great for breakfast, brunch, a picnic lunch or a simple tapas-style dinner.

The right way. There are many right ways to prepare this iconic dish. Some call for cooking the vegetables, then draining them, then cooling them, then mixing them with the eggs then cooking them together. Some cut potatoes into round slices, some into half moon slices and some into French fries. My method is just a little easier and saves time. Try it, then improve it to suit you and your way of doing things. Warning: If you're going to call this dish by it's traditional name, keep the ingredients traditional. Nothing wrong with adding bits and pieces of other things to the mix, just call your tortilla Spanish-inspired. I have a thing about authenticity when it comes to representing other cultures. I'm sure you understand. This is my recipe in printable format.

Cut the potatoes and onions into large dice.

Cooking potatoes and onions until tender.

Whisk eggs with salt & pepper.

After the first flip. Cooking the other side.

After the second flip onto the platter.

Eat outdoors for the best experience. Call me--I'll bring the wine and Manchego cheese.