Tortilla de Patatas (Spanish Omelette)

For six glorious months during the spring of 2008, I lived in Madrid. The experience was a feast for the mind, the soul and the body, as I ate and drank with reckless abandon modesty befitting the lady that I am.

It was a whirlwhind. Every day presented something new, whether it was the discovery of delicious Manchego cheese readily available everywhere, creamy cafe con leche at every street corner, tapas I can only dream of recreating now and wine for less than 1 Euro at the supermarket. For the first time I was without a mom or a meal plan to provide my daily meals, so I had to learn how to make dinner: chicken with Dijon-white wine sauce, gambas al ajillo (don’t let me get away with not sharing that recipe — it’s so easy and so good), freshly-pressed chorizo sandwiches when we got tired of the stove. On top of all that, I had the good fortune of being with my closest friends while I was abroad, which made everything all the more fun.

I’ve been feeling very nostalgic about that time, now that I’m about to embark on my next great adventure.* Before I left for my semester abroad, I was excited, nervous: ready to experience and discover new things, but also a little scared of what I might find. I feel all of those things now, so in hopes of having this new endeavour turn out to be a rousing success like Madrid was, I decided to turn back the clock. Tortilla de patatas was a staple in my daily life as a madrileño, something I grabbed along with my “to-go” coffee (a filmsy plastic cup filled to the brim with hot coffee and wrapped in tin foil — the Spanish have no concept of eating on the run. Only after begging the ladies who ran the little restaurant next to my apartment every morning for “un cafe para llevar” did they finally offer up this less-than-ideal solution). The Spanish eat it at all times of the day, with everything.

I had always wanted to try my hand at it, given that it seems like it should be easy. What is it, if not a potato and onion omelette? Well, most recipes call for a lot of oil, a mandolin, a cast-iron skillet, at least a few minutes of oven time and a lot more patience than I possess. But after making a frittata on the stove, I thought that technique would work quite nicely for the tortilla.

It did. And with each bite, I remembered what it was like to be in Madrid eating a pincho with a thick slice of baguette and a dollop of ketchup (very traditional, I know), laughing with friends, savoring the moment. Exactly what I needed as I contemplate my next move.

*Tomorrow, I start my new job with About.com! It’s everything I’ve been looking for and I’m so excited (and slightly nervous and apprehensive) to start!

Tortilla de Patatas (Spanish Omelette)
Adapted heavily from Food & Wine

– 1/4 cup olive oil

– 2 large Russet potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly (about 1/2-inch thick)

– 1 medium yellow onion, halved and sliced

– 7 large eggs

– 1/4 cup whole milk or cream

– 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (alternately, use pimentón, Spanish paprika, if you have it)

– salt and pepper to taste

1) Heat the olive oil in an omelette pan. Fry the potatoes with a little salt until they are slightly browned and almost tender, about 7 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned, another 8 minutes.

2) While the onions and potatoes are cooking, whisk together the eggs, milk, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the potatoes and onions, shaking the pan slightly so that the egg fills the pan and forms an even omelette. Do not stir.

3) Cook for 5-6 minutes on medium heat, until the egg is set on the bottom and on the edges. Using a plate or another large skillet, flip the tortilla over and slide it back into the pan, so that the opposite side now browns. Cook for 3-4 minutes.

4) Slice into wedges and serve hot or at room temperature (or cold — it’s delicious however you serve it), with thick slices of country bread.

[print recipe in PDF form]

Note: The photos from Madrid are either from my semester abroad there or from a subsequent trip in January 2009.

Also, I’ve added printable PDFs of each recipe at the bottom of their respective pages. Hope that helps you try some of these tasty treats out!