Tortilla española-Spain

Ahh, tortilla española. The dish that never fails to confuse Americans. The dish that I just adored while living in Spain whether it was eating it at my host parents’ house or ordering it out as a tapa. There are so many things I miss about Spain (and many more I don’t, jajajaja) but food is definitely one of them. I tried making croquetas (croquettes) one time and while they tasted decently enough, the amount of flour I used to dredge them and the ensuing mess that took root in my kitchen as a result made me swear off from ever trying to make them again. I’ve made paella but there is no such thing as a two-person paella pan and so if you make paella for just two people, there is going to be a lot of leftovers. And yet that’s where you, tortilla española come in.

Although I have always been afraid of flipping an omelet (yes Julie C., I know what you’re thinking, down some more vino and try again), I’m discovering that it’s not as bad as it seems. Not to say a mess never pops up like when inverting the omelet onto a plate over a clean griddle and the uncooked portion of the omelet spilling out onto the griddle in a soupy mess. Yes, that was most irritating. But once you take that first bite of the soft and crispy potatoes that have so nicely cooked into the egg, all irritation dissipates (well, until you have to clean said griddle).

But all in all, I’ve gotten pretty darn good about being able to flip the tortilla so that both sides are cooked evenly. It’s a relatively quick thing to make and extremely tasty. Paired with a side salad, some fresh fruit perhaps, a breakfast meat, and you have a really cheap dinner (remember, eggs and potatoes are about it for the ingredients).

A tortilla can be eaten hot or cold but I prefer it hot. There’s just something more appetizing about eating potatoes and eggs that have just been cooked versus the alternative.