Tortilla Espanola - Grandparents.com

For his 11th birthday, the cookbook author’s grandson asked Joyce Goldstein to give him a private lesson in making this frittata-like Spanish tapa. The hearty omelet can be served hot or cold for breakfast, or, with a salad, for lunch. In Spain, it is traditionally served with garlic mayonnaise (insert link). The tortilla can be served as a first course or a light supper, as well. Goldstein parboils and cools the potatoes before making the tortilla. This reduces the amount of oil needed for the recipe and speeds up preparation as well.

Goldstein, a chef and cooking teacher, says that if you are nervous about flipping a giant omelet, you may bake the tortilla mixture in the oven. This alternative technique is foolproof and stress-free, but the tortilla will not be as creamy in the center. To do so, heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally oil a 7 x 11 x 2-inch baking dish. Pyrex is ideal. (You could use an ovenproof 10-inch sauté pan as well.) Pour in the same amount of seasoned egg mixture you’d add to a 10-inch pan, about 5 cups in total volume. Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the eggs are set and the top is lightly colored. If you used the baking dish, there’s no need to un-mold the tortilla onto a platter. Just run a knife around the edge, cut into squares and serve. If you did it in the sauté pan, just run a knife around the edge to loosen the tortilla and turn it out onto a plate.

1 pound russet baking potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick (2 medium) parboiled
or 1 pound Yukon Golds, parboiled
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 or 3 ounces diced cured ham or cooked chorizo (optional)
3 or 4 piquillo peppers or 1 large roasted red bell pepper, cut into dice, 1/2 cup (optional)
6 eggs, lightly beaten
Chopped flat leaf parsley

1. Slice or dice the potatoes into half-inch thickness. Over high heat, warm the olive oil in a heavy skillet or nonstick pan. Add the potatoes, reduce the heat to medium high, and cook until golden on each side. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon, season them with salt and pepper, and set them aside. Reserve the oil.

2. Heat about 2 tablespoons of the reserved olive oil in a smaller frying pan and fry the onion until soft and golden. Set aside to cool.

3. In a bowl, mix the eggs with a whisk. Add the potatoes and onions and 1 teaspoon salt. Fold in diced ham or red peppers if using.

4. Heat 1/4 cup of the reserved oil in a 10-inch skillet. When the oil is hot, pour in the egg mixture. Let the eggs set, but shake the pan from time to time to make sure they are not sticking. After 3 or 4 minutes on medium-high heat, reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and cook until bottom and sides of the omelet are golden and set and the center is just a bit runny, about 8 minutes.

5. Place a large plate or lid on top of the frying pan and turn the omelet out onto it. If the pan looks dry, add a bit more oil, then slide the tortilla back, uncooked side down, into the pan to cook the other side and set the eggs, about 3 to 4 minutes longer. Slide the tortilla out onto a plate, sprinkle with parsley and serve cut into wedges. (You can also finish cooking the tortilla in a 400-degree F oven for about 8 minutes, just enough to set the top.) Serve with aioli, Spanish garlic mayonnaise (optional).