The Spanish Omelette: A Delightful Dish from Spain
The Spanish omelette, also known as tortilla española, is a staple dish in Spanish cuisine. Originating in the 19th century, it has become a popular dish in many countries around the world, and is a must-try for anyone visiting Spain.
The traditional Spanish omelette is made with just a few simple ingredients: potatoes, onions, eggs, salt, and olive oil. The ingredients are first fried in a pan and then eggs are beaten and added to the pan, creating a hearty and filling dish.
One of the great things about the Spanish omelette is its versatility. While the traditional recipe is made with just potatoes and onions, there are many variations that include ingredients like chorizo, peppers, spinach, and cheese. These variations allow the dish to be customized to your personal taste, making it a great option for families with diverse palates.
The Spanish omelette is a versatile dish that can be enjoyed at any time of day. It is a popular breakfast option, but can also be served as a light lunch or dinner. The dish is also easy to make and can be prepared in advance, making it a great option for busy families or people on-the-go.
The Spanish omelette is a delicious and satisfying dish that should not be missed. Whether you are a fan of traditional recipes or enjoy trying new and unique variations, this dish is sure to become a favorite in your household. So, the next time you find yourself in Spain, be sure to try this delightful dish.
Cooking recipes - How to Potato Omelet with onion?
Ingredients:
- 5 eggs
- 500 g potatoes
- 1 onion
- Salt
- Extra virgin olive oil
Steps for making Potato Omelet with onion:
- Peel and wash the potatoes, cut them and the onion into thin slices. Put them both in a frying pan and cover with extra virgin olive oil and cook over a medium-low heat until they begin to brown. You will know the potatoes are done when they start to break up, with the paddle. For the omelette to be juicy, it is important that the potatoes are well done and confit, because there is nothing worse than an omelette with half-raw potatoes. So be patient with this step.
- Remove from the frying pan and drain well. Put the eggs in a large bowl, beat them separately and add them to the potatoes and onion, add a little salt and mix. Leave for a couple of minutes to mix well. Some people prefer to leave the potatoes whole and others prefer to mash them a little with the paddle so that they mix well with the egg.
- Put a couple of spoonfuls of extra virgin olive oil in the frying pan and pour everything in. At first we break it up a little, as if we were going to make a scrambled egg, then we shape it around the edges. When we see that the bottom is set, we put a plate or a lid on top of the frying pan and quickly turn it over. Put the pan back on the heat and slide the omelette from the plate to the pan. Leave for a few more minutes (2 or 3 if you like it more curdled, less if you like it juicy) to finish cooking and our potato omelette is ready.
To make the omelette juicier on the inside, it is important that, once mixed with the egg, you follow the steps below:
Use a smaller, deeper frying pan, as this will allow you to make a higher omelette, without the heat from the pan reaching the centre. If you use a wider, flatter pan, the heat will reach the top as well as the centre, curdling the egg immediately, so our first piece of advice is again directed at the pan.
Once you turn the potatoes with the egg, turn up the heat to a good temperature so that the outside sets quickly, and in a minute or so follow the steps for turning it over, leaving it just one minute longer on the other side.
On the other hand, if you want to make the potato omelette more curdled, the instructions are the opposite of those given above.
In this case, use a wider, flatter frying pan, so that the heat reaches all parts of the pan and the egg sets evenly. An example of a frying pan for making omelettes would be this shallow 24 cm double omelette pan.
To further set the omelette, set the heat to medium so that the egg cooks well on the inside, and leave it for 2-3 minutes on each side.
How to flip the potato omelette
One of the most important things is that your frying pan is non-stick, because no matter how well you want to flip it, if the omelette has stuck to the pan, it will be impossible for you to do it properly. Therefore, get a good non-stick frying pan, with the right size and more vertical sides, so that your omelette takes the perfect shape and you can make it thicker if you like it better. There are also special potato omelette frying pans, which are two in number and come with a safety hook to join them together and turn the omelette without any problem.
That said, it is important to make sure before turning the omelette that it has completely detached from the bottom. To do this, I recommend that you separate it and shape it with a silicone or wooden spatula on the sides, to help the egg come away and give it a rounder shape. It is also advisable to move the frying pan back and forth, separating it a little from the heat, until you can see that the bottom of the pan comes away from the heat. Once we see that our omelette is "sliding" around the frying pan, it is time to turn it over.
Take a shallow plate larger than the diameter of the pan you are using, place the palm of your hand firmly on it, and pressing down on the pan, turn it quickly and gently on the plate.
Carefully slide the omelette back into the pan, using a spatula, to set the other side of the omelette. Then follow the same process of moving the frying pan around so that you know when to remove it from the heat. To remove the omelette, follow the same process with the plate as before. In this case it will be easier as the egg will already be set.
- For every 100 g of potatoes, we will use one egg. If you like it juicier, you can add an extra egg. If you prefer it more curdled, use one less egg.
- Fry the potatoes and onions over a low heat in plenty of oil, so that the onion does not turn brown and the potatoes do not burn on the outside and remain raw on the inside, the potatoes should be soft and lightly browned.
Tortilla de patatas or Spanish omelette is one of the quintessential dishes of Spanish gastronomy. To make it we only need three ingredients: eggs, potatoes and a good oil. It is enjoyed by young and old alike and is prepared in almost every home, and like all popular recipes, everyone prepares tortilla de patatas in their own way: some with onion, others without onion, juicy, well done... some hot when freshly made and others cold.
