Potato tortilla (tortilla de patatas)

Spain’s omelette-style tortilla is the dish by which tapas bars are judged. The potatoes should be firm, the onion golden and the egg cooked just enough to hold it all together.

The simple potato tortilla is Spain's most iconic comfort food. Credit: Feast magazine

• serves

  6

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil 
• 1 small onion, finely chopped 
• 420 g (about 3 small) sebago potatoes, peeled, thinly sliced 
• 5 eggs
• chopped flat-leaf parsley, alioli and lemon wedges, to serve

Instructions

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes or until softened. Add potatoes and cook for 8 minutes or until tender. Transfer potatoes to a colander, reserving 2 tsp oil. Wipe pan clean and reserve. Whisk eggs with ¼ tsp salt, then gently stir in potato mixture.

Return reserved pan and oil over medium heat. Add potato mixture, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring gently, for 4 minutes or until egg starts to set and base is golden. Place a large plate over the pan, then, wearing oven gloves, quickly invert tortilla onto plate. Return pan to heat, and, using a large spatula, carefully slide tortilla back into pan. Using spatula, tuck under edges of tortilla and cook for a further 3 minutes or until set.

Slice into wedges, scatter with parsley and serve with alioli, lemon wedges, salt cod croquettes (croquetas de bacalao) and meatballs in spicy tomato sauce (albondigas con salsa picante).

As seen in Feast magazine, Feb 2012, Issue 6.

Photography by Brett Stevens.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.