Tortilla Espanol... In the Arctic...

[alexwalker]

This morning, I was reading on the website of my school in Alicante, where I will attend a 4 week Spanish course in April next year. An informative site, and there I found some food stuff:

http://www.enforex.com/culture/tortilla-espanola.html

All of a sudden, memories popped up, of a slice of tortilla, a cold beer, a reststop before going on more kms.

So I rushed to my shop, bought a piece of choriso, eggs, chili, an onion etc. (Yep, I spiced it up a little), and went to work, making my own memorial tortilla up here on a dark and snowy day in the Arctic:



I used an iron pan (will use teflon next time), and thus it was a little sticky, so turning it around was not perfect, I admit (will be next time), but nevertheless, after serving myself and 2 others:



Oh, what memories! And soon returning to Spain!

 

[domigee]

Well done!

 

[Icacos]

Several years ago I got rid of whatever little Teflon I had and now use only stainless steel or cast iron. I find if the pan is heated very well (with butter or oil) before the addition of the egg mixture, things don't stick as much. I often make some version of 'fritata' (a sort of open-face omelette) which I finish off under the broiler, but have never tried flipping the frittata/tortilla out of the pan to serve. Thanks for reminding me.

 

[J F Gregory]

If you use the right consistency of oil and butter in your cast iron the food will slide right out. I only use cast iron.

 

[peregrina2000]

I use an old steel pan I got in Spain in the 70s and nothing sticks so long as it´s hot enough.

About the ingredients -- A good Spanish friend of mine microwaves the potatoes rather than cooking them in so much oil. I have eaten her tortillas on a number of occasions, and there is perhaps a very slight loss of flavor. But I find that so long as the eggs have enough salt, the lack of almost a cup of oil is barely noticeable. And it is a MUCH easier way to cook the potatoes.

 

[SYates]

For those of you that don't like to taste raw egg to adjust salt/pepper in the tortilla mixture, here my secret tip: Season the potatoes, onions etc mixture before you add the beat up eggs. Buen Cocina, SY

 

[movinmaggie]

I used cast iron years ago. If you rub it with oil (and work it in) after purchase, and let it 'cure' that also helps with the sticking…..

 

[JennyH94]

What a heavenly addition the chorizo was Alex ... that wonderful spicy oil from the chorizo melding with the chorizo itself and all the other ingredients would have made the tortilla very, very special. YUM!
Cheers - Jenny

 

[SYates]

What a heavenly addition the chorizo would have been Alex ... that wonderful spicy oil from the chorizo melding with the chorizo itself and all the other ingredients would have made the tortilla very, very special. YUM!
Cheers - Jenny

As I understand his post he did add the chorizo, see

..., bought a piece of choriso, eggs, chili, an onion etc. (Yep, I spiced it up a little), and went to work, making my own memorial tortilla up here on a dark and snowy day in the Arctic ... Oh, what memories! And soon returning to Spain!

SY

 

[JennyH94]

As I understand his post he did add the chorizo, see



SY

Hi SY - I knew that he had added the chorizo but I can see my post wasn't clear - thanks for drawing this to my attention. I've edited the post and my mouth is still watering!
Cheers - Jenny

 

[SYates]

So is mine! Time to whip up a tortilla here in dark central Europe! SY

 

[alexwalker]

Ladies,

Much appreciated! Yes, I added some (good measure!) chopped choriso, as seen in the original picture: Sliced, then cut in 1/4. Also, fine chopped onion (one) and (very) fine chopped chili. I should have aded some squeezed garlic as well, for good measure

Boiled potatoes, onion, and chili (+plenty garlic next time) in plenty olive oil in the pan. Then stirred it (rinse away all the oil) into a bowl of whipped eggs and choriso and into the pan on medium/low heat. Just remember; after some 10 minutes, you have to turn the whole thing onto a plate and then back into the pan in order to make it golden also on the other side. Olive oil in the pan first.

Anyway, it turned out to be very well received by my woman and her 14-year grandson. Pan was licked.

This is so easy and fast to make, you should definitely try it: Great fun. And sooo good!

For a moment I was back on the Camino again...

 

[SYates]

Extra Tip: Don't add the potato mixture to the eggs. Let it cool down a bit and then add the whipped eggs to the potato mixture. Makes all the difference when it comes to a well shaped tortilla. Que approvecho, SY

 

[domigee]

Ooooh I have to disagree on that one..... Potato mixture into the beaten eggs, not the other way around

 

[Icacos]

Extra Tip: Don't add the potato mixture to the eggs. Let it cool down a bit and then add the whipped eggs to the potato mixture. Makes all the difference when it comes to a well shaped tortilla. Que approvecho, SY

Ooooh I have to disagree on that one..... Potato mixture into the beaten eggs, not the other way around

Same difference, I think. So long as the pan is hot.

 

[alexwalker]

Whip eggs & chopped choriso. Stir into it the rest. Then all into the pan and fry at medium/low heat as adviced. If not followed, I will ask moderators to close this thread... This is a very easy recipe & you cannot go wrong.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

This morning, I was reading on the website of my school in Alicante, where I will attend a 4 week Spanish course in April next year. An informative site, and there I found some food stuff:

http://www.enforex.com/culture/tortilla-espanola.html

All of a sudden, memories popped up, of a slice of tortilla, a cold beer, a reststop before going on more kms.

So I rushed to my shop, bought a piece of choriso, eggs, chili, an onion etc. (Yep, I spiced it up a little), and went to work, making my own memorial tortilla up here on a dark and snowy day in the Arctic:

View attachment 22773

I used an iron pan (will use teflon next time), and thus it was a little sticky, so turning it around was not perfect, I admit (will be next time), but nevertheless, after serving myself and 2 others:

View attachment 22774

Oh, what memories! And soon returning to Spain!

Chorizo in the Artic?! Local super market just got some in, from Spain, at a good price, but flavourles ... Palacios is 13$ a peice!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I use an old steel pan I got in Spain in the 70s and nothing sticks so long as it´s hot enough.

About the ingredients -- A good Spanish friend of mine microwaves the potatoes rather than cooking them in so much oil. I have eaten her tortillas on a number of occasions, and there is perhaps a very slight loss of flavor. But I find that so long as the eggs have enough salt, the lack of almost a cup of oil is barely noticeable. And it is a MUCH easier way to cook the potatoes.

I would love that microwave recipe!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

What a heavenly addition the chorizo was Alex ... that wonderful spicy oil from the chorizo melding with the chorizo itself and all the other ingredients would have made the tortilla very, very special. YUM!
Cheers - Jenny

It's actually quite normal to have chorizo in the tortilla. Just makes it a bit more expensive which is probably why it is not served in pilgrim bars.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Ladies,

Much appreciated! Yes, I added some (good measure!) chopped choriso, as seen in the original picture: Sliced, then cut in 1/4. Also, fine chopped onion (one) and (very) fine chopped chili. I should have aded some squeezed garlic as well, for good measure

Boiled potatoes, onion, and chili (+plenty garlic next time) in plenty olive oil in the pan. Then stirred it (rinse away all the oil) into a bowl of whipped eggs and choriso and into the pan on medium/low heat. Just remember; after some 10 minutes, you have to turn the whole thing onto a plate and then back into the pan in order to make it golden also on the other side. Olive oil in the pan first.

Anyway, it turned out to be very well received by my woman and her 14-year grandson. Pan was licked.

This is so easy and fast to make, you should definitely try it: Great fun. And sooo good!

For a moment I was back on the Camino again...

You boil your potatoes? Nooooo... You are to slice the, super thinly and cook them in oil. And garlic? Never mind chili?

 

[alexwalker]

You boil your potatoes? Nooooo... You are to slice the, super thinly and cook them in oil. And garlic? Never mind chili?

Indeed. You are correct: All in oil; no pre-cooking, of course! Garlic & Chili? Yum!

 

[peregrina2000]

I would love that microwave recipe!

Well, Anemone if you don't like the idea of boiling potatoes you're not going to like this either, but here goes:

6 medium potatoes
1/2 glass water
3 T olive oil
1 medium onion (optional, and there is great debate on whether this belongs or not among Spaniards)
salt
5 eggs

Peel the potatoes and slice thinly (and the onion if using)
Mix potatoes and onion in a microwaveable dish and add the water
Cover with plastic wrap and put a couple of holes in it to let vapor escape
4 minutes on high in the microwave
Add olive oil, mix, and microwave for 4 more minutes
(Potatoes should be very soft, so depending on your microwave, you may need more minutes)
Beat the eggs, add a little salt, mix in potatoes.
Heat tortilla pan, add 1T olive oil, and cook the normal way.

My Spanish friend adds this note "Si lo hago yo lo puede hacer todo el mundo."

 

[alexwalker]

Oh, what the h*ck: Let us agree: Shoes off, a sunny chair, & table, a piece of tortilla, a cold beer, a rest stop, and then on it again: Life.

 

[domigee]

Well, Anemone if you don't like the idea of boiling potatoes you're not going to like this either, but here goes:

6 medium potatoes
1/2 glass water
3 T olive oil
1 medium onion (optional, and there is great debate on whether this belongs or not among Spaniards)
salt
5 eggs

Peel the potatoes and slice thinly (and the onion if using)
Mix potatoes and onion in a microwaveable dish and add the water
Cover with plastic wrap and put a couple of holes in it to let vapor escape
4 minutes on high in the microwave
Add olive oil, mix, and microwave for 4 more minutes
(Potatoes should be very soft, so depending on your microwave, you may need more minutes)
Beat the eggs, add a little salt, mix in potatoes.
Heat tortilla pan, add 1T olive oil, and cook the normal way.

My Spanish friend adds this note "Si lo hago yo lo puede hacer todo el mundo."

Heresy! heresy!
(Actually I may try that one day, thanks )

 

[domigee]

Oh, what the h*ck: Let us agree: Shoes off, a sunny chair, & table, a piece of tortilla, a cold beer, a rest stop, and then on it again: Life.

Oh that's no fun, for once we were arguing about something REALLY worthwhile and important

 

[SYates]

We are just reacting typically Spanish here. Discussion about "the right way to make tortilla" can get sometimes fierce in Spain. Not to speak of rural "best tortilla" competitions ... SY

 

[domigee]

Tehehe, too right
And then, there's the gazpacho debate

 

[Pelegrin]

Well, Anemone if you don't like the idea of boiling potatoes you're not going to like this either, but here goes:

6 medium potatoes
1/2 glass water
3 T olive oil
1 medium onion (optional, and there is great debate on whether this belongs or not among Spaniards)
salt
5 eggs

Peel the potatoes and slice thinly (and the onion if using)
Mix potatoes and onion in a microwaveable dish and add the water
Cover with plastic wrap and put a couple of holes in it to let vapor escape
4 minutes on high in the microwave
Add olive oil, mix, and microwave for 4 more minutes
(Potatoes should be very soft, so depending on your microwave, you may need more minutes)
Beat the eggs, add a little salt, mix in potatoes.
Heat tortilla pan, add 1T olive oil, and cook the normal way.

My Spanish friend adds this note "Si lo hago yo lo puede hacer todo el mundo."

Spaniards are divided between those who like onion in tortilla and those who don't like, but I think that everybody here agrees that onion is an ingredient of tortilla.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Onion absolutely. I think I will give the boiled/nuked potatos a try, just to please my doctor. When I do I will report back. But it will have to be with Palacios chorizo, surely that is must

 

[peregrina2000]

Spaniards are divided between those who like onion in tortilla and those who don't like, but I think that everybody here agrees that onion is an ingredient of tortilla.

I very much enjoy onion in my tortilla espanola, but the best tortilla I have ever eaten was in a little bar around the corner from the parador in Santo Domingo de la Calzada. The bar owners told me the secret was that there was nothing but high quality olive oil, eggs, salt, and potatoes. Anything else, he said, was a distraction.

 

[peregrina2000]

Onion absolutely. I think I will give the boiled/nuked potatos a try, just to please my doctor. When I do I will report back. But it will have to be with Palacios chorizo, surely that is must

The other downside of the nuked potatoes is that you are not then left with the oil that the potatoes have cooked in. That is by far the most delicious olive oil I have ever dipped bread in.

I'm sort of with you, Anemone -- after all, isn't olive oil a required element in the highly touted Mediterranean diet?

 

[Icacos]

Thanks for the reminder that a tortilla should be made with olive oil...the oil I'm trying to use more and more often in my cooking,

All this talk about whether a tortilla should be made with or without onions reminds me of the time I was first introduced to a Spanish tortilla; it was made right here on the 'wet' coast of Canada by a young woman from San Sebastián (yes, Spain's San Sebastián). There's no way now of checking with the cook but, if memory serves me correctly, it was made with potatoes and green sweet peppers.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

To tell you the truth, I have yet to attempt making a tortilla. My mother made them, then my nanny who learned from my mum. Shame on me!

Can we talk about torrejas, since Christmas is just a few days away?

What are your recipes?

 

[domigee]

Shame on you Anemone
Actually I don't blame you as the process is long and tedious, unless in good company with a drink or two!

And would love to know what torrejas are???

Edited: oh I know,had that pudding recently, it was called torrejas de la abuela in the restaurant and it's made of...bread very nice though.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Shame on you Anemone
Actually I don't blame you as the process is long and tedious, unless in good company with a drink or two!

And would love to know what torrejas are???

Torrejas are a type of "French toast". Bread dipped on milk and egg, fried in olive oil, and then drizzled, or soaked, in a white wine syrup. Traditional Christmas morning or boxing day breakfast. Made with baguette type bread, not sandwhich bread.

 

[domigee]

Thank you I didn't know that as I always went back home to France for Christmas.

 

[alexwalker]

New tortilla attempt today: better result, also by doubling fine-chopped chili and being generous with the garlic:



Ready to serve:



Only a small problem: Forgot to add chopped choriso, and had to serve it as a side-order... Age....

 

[Icacos]

Felt a hankering this morning to make a tortilla, the main purpose being to see if I could get it to slide out of the pan easily. I cooked the onions, and half the potatoes in olive oil, and microwaved the other half of the potatoes, as per @peregrina2000 (to save time). Butter and olive oil - as suggested above - in a medium to hot fry pan, then I turned the heat down a bit and covered with a lid. Rather than risk trying to flip it over and finish cooking it on the stove top, I finished it off under the broiler. Left it to cool a bit, then easily flipped it over onto a serving plate.

I think I prefer the open face 'frittata' look, especially if one is going to add lots of other goodies a la @alexwalker.

 

[Mima1965]

Hola Icacos!
After reading these old posts I would like to share that my family (in Spain) always used onions, garlic and olive oil; the pan didn't matter. At summer red and/or green pimientos were often added.
And if using chorizo the best is to slice it and brown it in a little bit of oil first. The chorizo will release its own fat and will give you (as JennyH94 said) very flavourful extra oil which you use to cook your potatoes, etc.
Sautéed chorizo adds a new dimension to any dish! ...I use it all the time, as it is part of the base sauce used in many stews and dishes and an essential ingredient in the pantry.
I also add sautéed chorizo to beaten eggs, and using the oil in the pan, make tortilla de chorizo . Super simple and delicious in a bocadillo!
As Peregrina 2000 also said, you can microwave the potatoes (I have done that if short of time or trying to reduce the oil) other times I have microwaved potatoes and sautéed the onions separately to caramelise them. But one of my favourite ways of cooking the potatoes and rest of the ingredients using a fraction of olive oil is to bake everything together in an oven tray and then add it to the egg mixture.
Like many other dishes, the way tortilla is made can vary from region to region....take paella, a dish made with leftovers and whatever was available at the time.
The only objection I have with tortilla is the way is served in Cantabria where every bar seems to cut it in half, fill it and cover it with mayonnaise. No tradition in that......absolutely ruined!
I keep it simple.... tortilla with a fresh salad, EVOO, balsamic/wine vinegar.....and ready to walk!
Buen provecho a todos!

 

[Icacos]

Great suggestions, @Mima1965. Thank you. I particularly like the idea of using roasted veggies.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I decided to resurrect this old thread rather than starting a new one regarding Spanish tortillas; those wonderful "pies" made mainly from eggs, potatoes and onion. I've always ordered a piece for breakfast when available in the bars, along with my cafe con leche, but ironically they are always served cold. That is one of my very few "pet peeves" on the Camino as I do not prefer eating cold eggs or potatoes at breakfast. I always request whoever is working the bar to heat my tortilla up in their microwave, but most workers seem to do this small favor reluctantly, which surprises me.
Has anyone else experienced or noticed cold tortillas?
I have heard they are often made off premises and delivered each day, which could be the reason they are served cold, but still I would think warming them up for a customer should be standard practice.
I do realize I am making a mountain out of a molehill.

 

[alexwalker]

I do realize I am making a mountain out of a molehilla few years.

I hope you appreciated your school. I attended the same one in Alicante a few years back: Very giving, a fantastic school, and now I can talk (basico) in Spain: A relief!

 

[Kanga]

One of the reasons to walk on a path other than the Francés - I find that food is much more likely to be freshly cooked on the premises. Less patrons and numbers are unpredictable.

 

[trecile]

I decided to resurrect this old thread rather than starting a new one regarding Spanish tortillas; those wonderful "pies" made mainly from eggs, potatoes and onion. I've always ordered a piece for breakfast when available in the bars, along with my cafe con leche, but ironically they are always served cold. That is one of my very few "pet peeves" on the Camino as I do not prefer eating cold eggs or potatoes at breakfast. I always request whoever is working the bar to heat my tortilla up in their microwave, but most workers seem to do this small favor reluctantly, which surprises me.
Has anyone else experienced or noticed cold tortillas?
I have heard they are often made off premises and delivered each day, which could be the reason they are served cold, but still I would think warming them up for a customer should be standard practice.
I do realize I am making a mountain out of a molehill.

I actually prefer to eat tortilla de patatas at room temperature than heated up.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Well, room temperature and cold are two different things. I dislike cold French fries too, at fast food chains when stopping off along an interstate for a quick meal while traveling.

 

[trecile]

Well, room temperature and cold are two different things. I dislike cold French fries too, at fast food chains when stopping off along an interstate for a quick meal while traveling.

I also like cold tortilla.
I'll basically eat it at any temperature if it's set before me.
It's really good picnic food too.

 

[domigee]

I am not sure what this is about.. Tortilla de patatas is always served cold. Well, room temperature.
if you want something hot, ask for a ‘tortilla francesa’. I’ve never known any place to say no.

 

[alexwalker]

I decided to resurrect this old thread rather than starting a new one regarding Spanish tortillas

Thank you. I still make tortilla from time to time. I love it. And within a week from now, I shall again taste it in Spain...

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Thank you. I still make tortilla from time to time. I love it. And within a week from now, I shall again taste it in Spain...

Alex, have a wonderful Camino! I know you love Spain, and especially the Frances route in particular. I have a "soft spot" for it as well, being my first Camino; my eyes wide open taking in my surroundings with awe.

 

[alexwalker]

Alex, have a wonderful Camino! I know you love Spain, and especially the Frances route in particular. I have a "soft spot" for it as well, being my first Camino; my eyes wide open taking in my surroundings with awe.

Yes it will be the CF another time. I feel it is my "home". Pamplona to SdC, slow walking and short days. I have some 45 days to complete it. Many short days, staying in places I didn't stay in before, sipping a cold beer here and there, and watching peregrinos walking by