If you have ever traveled to Spain, you probably enjoyed a thick wedge of Tortilla Española with a chilled glass of garnacha. Watching the world from behind your sunglasses while you snack on tasty tapas is simply the best feeling in the world. I miss traveling and these sweet touristy moments that make you feel special.
Tortilla Español, Cava and You
Ah well, we are all home at the moment, doing what is best for the planet. I still have my sunglasses and I do have a bottle of cava chilling in the fridge. What say we whip up a Tortilla Española Poblana and watch the sunset? I think that is a good idea.
Even though Tortilla Española is a common dish at a Spanish taverna it can be tricky to make at home. If you are a beginner chef or feel nervous about working with hot olive oil, this may not be the recipe for you.
But if you are up for the challenge, make sure you have a super-duper non-stick skillet (even a ceramic non-stick isn’t non-sticky enough.) It may seem like an 8” (20cm) skillet is too small, but that is the size pan I use, and yes, all the ingredients fit. You can try a 9” (22cm) pan, but I don’t recommend 10” (25cm) pan. The tortilla becomes unwieldy when you try to flip it and you may end up with a hot mess.
Lots of Olive Oil
The recipe also calls for an incredible amount of olive oil for cooking the potatoes, and there is no way around it. A little olive oil will not work for this recipe. Once you carefully drain the fried potatoes, a little of the reserved olive oil will be used for the final cooking stage of the tortilla. The remaining olive oil will have a good amount of starch residue from cooking the potatoes, but it is still useful for basting a roasted chicken, roasting vegetables, or brushing over the bread you are baking. It will have a slight potato flavor, but oven or grill roasting should camouflage that.
Tortilla Española Poblana combines Old World (olive oil and eggs) and New World (potatoes and chiles) in one beautiful dish. Not matter where you are, enjoy!
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