Spanish omelet is a dish loved by most. It consist of an egg omelet with potatoes and onions fried in olive oil. It is referred to by its full name "Tortilla de Patatas" or "Tortilla Espanola" to avoid the confusion with "Tortilla" which is a flat bread used in South-American cuisine.
Spanish Omelet :
There is a knack to a good Tortilla de Patatas and if you are making it for the first time, it is important to follow the Tortilla de Patatas recipe instructions to the letter, at least to start with.
It makes great party nibbles, cut in little cubes pierced with cocktail stick for clean handling. Served this way, it is the most common tapas.
It is fantastic food for picnics, made in advance, it can be served cold. Usually serves with bread, pickles, chutney. In bars and Cafes in Spain it is often served in a sliced baguette.
The best known variation is with peppers.
Variants for Tortilla de Patatas :
- Green Pepper - Fry a 1 chopped, green or red pepper with the potatoes and onions.
If you would like to "meat up" your dish a little
- Chorizo- cut a Spanish chorizo sausage into little cubes and add it to the eggs rather than the potatoes. Be aware chorizo is rather spicy.
- Ham - Use a couple thick slices (1/4") ham, finely chop them. Then add the pieces to the potato and onion mixture after frying. If you use smoked ham, you will need to readjust the salt.
- Bacon -Slice the bacon in very thin strips and cut across with scissors, same as above for the salt.
- Ham & peas- follow the tip above and add the peas with the eggs so that they don't shrivle
More Usual Variations :
- Cherry tomatoes and coriander - colorful and packed with flavour, add the tomatoes and the coriander just before the eggs
- Sweet potatoes and leek -cook and boil the chopped sweet potatoes and leeks before frying them lightly
- Toasted cheese - any kind of cooking cheese from Cheddar to Gruyere via Tomme de Savoie, cook a traditional Spanish omelet and before sliding it on the serving plate, sprinkle the cheese on the top and grill until golden brown
Left overs :
Left over Spanish omelet are also very handy as a for the children's lunch box.
It is also a great stand by food to have in the fridge, you never know when you will need "a little something" to accompany impromptu drinks and coktails or even at breakfast to complement a brunch.
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