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!
Tortilla Española Poblana
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients
1 chile poblano, roasted, peeled, seeded & chopped
1 ¼ cup olive oil (300ml)
1 lb. white, waxy skin potatoes (500g), peeled & cut into 1/2” dice (1cm)
4 oz. onions, chopped (125g)
2 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
Food release spray (such as Pam)
Freshly chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish
1/4 avocado for garnish
Instructions
Prepare the chile poblano by roasting, peeling and seeding it. Video instructions here.
Add the olive oil to an 8”/20cm non-stick skillet and heat over medium flame to about 300°F (148°C) Add the onions and fry for about 1 minute. Carefully add the potatoes, lower the heat, and allow to cook for 20 minutes. The potatoes shouldn’t brown but simply cook in the olive oil.
Meanwhile, prepare a glass mixing bowl with a mesh strainer for the next step.
After the potatoes are cooked and tender, remove the pan from the heat. Pour the contents of the pan into the mesh strainer that is placed over the bowl. Reserve the olive oil. Allow the potatoes to cool completely as they drain away the hot olive oil. Allow the cooking pan to cool completely as well.
With a clean paper towel wipe away any remaining vegetable bits from your pan.
In a separate bowl, scramble the eggs and season with salt and pepper. Add the chopped chile poblano as well as the cooled potatoes and onions. Stir to combine well.
Spray your cooking pan with food release spray (even if it is a non-stick pan) Add 2 tbsp. (30ml) of the reserved olive oil to your cooking pan and heat over a medium flame for about 30 seconds. Pour in the potato egg mixture and allow to cook for about 5 minutes. Push along the side of the pan contents with a spoon so that the potatoes do not stick to the edge.
Once the tortilla seems well formed, remove the pan from the heat. Holding the tortilla with a spatula, tilt the cooking pan over a bowl so you can drain any excess cooking oil. You will then need to carefully flip the contents of the hot pan onto a shallow dinner plate, and then slide the tortilla back into the cooking pan so that it toasts on the other side. THIS CAN BE TRICKY AND DANGEROUS! If you have any doubts about flipping the entire tortilla whole, simply flip cut portions of the tortilla. But with a little practice, you should be able to master the flip. Cook on the other side for another 5 minutes until the tortilla is tender but well formed.
Served immediately garnished with freshly chopped cilantro or parsley and avocado.
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