The Spanish omelette, also known as tortilla de patatas, is a traditional dish made with potatoes and olive oil. It is a popular dish in Spanish restaurants, often found on tapas menus and served in the evening. The base of the omelette is always egg and potatoes, but other ingredients such as herbs and vegetables can be added. The omelette is made by frying thinly sliced potatoes in olive oil, adding beaten eggs, and flipping it to cook on both sides. It is a dense and hearty dish meant to serve several people.
A Spanish omelette is a traditional dish made with potatoes and olive oil. This type of omelette is native to Spain and a popular dish in Spanish restaurants, often found on tapas menus and usually served in the evening rather than as a breakfast dish. Also called tortilla de patatas, the omelette has some characteristics of similar dishes, such as the classic French omelette and the Italian omelette, but the combination of cooking method and potatoes makes it a unique regional dish.
In its most authentic form, the Spanish omelette is made exclusively with eggs, potatoes and olive oil, although cooks from different regions often adapt the recipe by adding other ingredients such as herbs, onions or other vegetables. No matter what add-ons you add, the base of the tortilla is always egg and potatoes. The result is a thick, hearty dish that can be served sliced fresh from the pan, at room temperature, or as cold leftovers.
To make a Spanish omelette, starchy white potatoes are peeled, thinly sliced, and seasoned. The potato wedges are then lightly fried in olive oil in a large, fairly deep skillet until partially cooked through and soft, not browned or caramelized. If onions or peppers are included in the tortialla de patatas, they are cooked together with the potatoes. The vegetables are then removed from the pan and set aside to drain, and a small amount of olive oil is reserved in the pan for the next step in the cooking process.
The eggs are beaten to combine the whites and yolks, then the potatoes are added. The oil in the pan should be very hot when the egg and potato mixture is poured in, and then the heat is reduced to allow the eggs to start cooking. Once the bottom half of the eggs is cooked through, the omelet is flipped to finish cooking on the other side. Flipping is accomplished by tossing the omelet into the pan or sliding it onto a plate and then flipping it back into the pan runny-side down. After a few more minutes of cooking, the Spanish omelet is fully cooked and ready to be sliced and served.
A Spanish omelette is more closely related to an Italian omelette than a French omelet due to similar cooking methods. Both dishes are quite dense and hearty, and are meant to serve several people instead of the individual portion of a classic French omelet. Though both are egg dishes, the thick and hearty tortilla de patatas is quite a departure from a thin, delicate, made-to-order omelet.
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