HOW TO COOK A SPANISH OMELETTE

Few dishes look so simple in the Spanish cuisine as the Spanish omelette. However, I would say that this famous dish might require one of the most complicated elaborations in order to get the best result. The key elements are little but important details. The proper way to cook it depends on how you like it: well cooked, medium or lightly cooked; with or without onion; fresh potatoes or old potatoes; poached potatoes, lightly fried or boiled; poached onion or caramelized... Let's get this straight.

Type of onions and potatoes

It might be difficult to choose the right potato and onion for our tortilla de patatas, specially nowadays that it is possible to find many different types. 

Potatoes: it is better to use fresh potatoes than old ones. Fresh ones are preferred regularly for frying or poaching since they keep better their shape. Besides, their nutritional values are higher than the old ones, therefore they are also preferred in general for any dish. Old potatoes, however, are used regularly for puree.

Regarding the variety of potato, in Spain we probably use Monasila potatoes the most for our tortillas, but I suggest that you try different ones until you find the one you like the most.

Onions: in Spain we usually prepare our Spanish omelette with regular white onions. However, if you feel like trying the purple ones or any other, go ahead.

Chopped, finely chopped, sliced, diced?

Although it seems like a minor problem, this decision can change completely the taste of our tortilla.

Potatoes: the key element here is to cut the potatoes in small pieces. If you cut the potatoes too big, you run the risk of making a frittata, and that is not what we want since we want the poached potatoes to absorb the egg for a few minutes, we want to get all the ingredients well mixed. There is no specific size, but here you have a few directions:

If diced, 0.5x0.5x0.5 inches would be a good size. I prefer not to cut them bigger than that, since poaching them would take a longer time and they might be unevenly cooked. Besides, letting them soak later in the egg would not be so easy. 

If sliced, there is not a really important problem with the size as long as the slices are thin. If the slices are thin but too wide (as an example, wider than 2x2 inches), we will have to crush them later to make them smaller after poaching them. If the slices are smaller, let's say around 0.5x0.5 inches, we will just have to lightly crush them to soak them in the egg.

Let the mixture rest

In my opinion, once you add the poached potatoes to the beaten eggs, it is important to let the mixture rest (10-20 minutes). That way the poached potatoes will absorb the eggs. Remember that we do not want a frittata.

When poached, boiled or specially if lightly fried, crush the potatoes a little bit in the egg to make it easier for them to absorb the egg.

Well cooked, medium or lightly cooked?

It depends on how you like the tortilla. Nowadays it is difficult to find an undercooked tortilla in Spanish restaurants. They want to cook properly the eggs to prevent anyone from being infected with salmonella, specially during the hot Spanish summer. Although most of them cook the tortilla with pasteurized eggs. 

In my opinion, my perfect tortilla should be well cooked in the outside, but still moist and soft inside. How do you get this? Cook it over medium-high heat, 2-3 minutes on each side;  1-2 minutes if you like it less cooked over medium-high heat; 4-5 minutes on each side if you like it well cooked over medium heat.

Poached, lightly fried or boiled potatoes?

I would say that 99% of the people in Spain poach the potatoes for the tortilla. I would never boil them, since the flavor is totally different, but, as always, it is up to you.

If you fry the potatoes lightly, you should leave them for a longer time in the beaten egg.

With or without onion?

My opinion: onion always. Specially if it is caramelized, you will get a unique taste quite difficult to forget.

SUGGESTIONS

1. - Use a non-stick pan if possible.
2. - Eat the tortilla hot, at room temperature or chilled.
3. - Make a sandwich with a piece of tortilla, roasted green peppers and spread some alioli or mayo on the bread.

Now that we know a little bit more about the Spanish Omelette, I think you should try to cook one and share a picture with us:

Twitter: @sabrosaspain
Email: sabrosaspain@gmail.com

Here you have the recipe:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yc4n4X0VGj8

3-5 Servings
INGREDIENTS
5 Potatoes
1 Onion
5 Eggs
Olive Oil
Salt

PREPARATION
1. Peel and slice the potatoes and onion.
2. Poach them in olive oil or sunflower oil for 15-20 min.
3. Drain the potatoes and onion and add a bit of salt.
4. Whisk 5 eggs and add a pinch of salt. Mix them with the potatoes and onion.
5. Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes.
6. Heat a pan (medium-high) and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
7. Add the mixture, give it a stir, shape it and let it cook for 2-3 minutes.
8. Turn it over with a plate bigger than the pan.
9. Put the omelette back into the pan and let the other side cook for 2-3 minutes.
10. If you like it more cooked, leave it 2 more minutes on each side (medium heat).
11. Enjoy!

SABROSA SPAIN

SPAIN AND ITS TRADITIONAL FLAVORS ABROAD

Flamenco, sol, olé, playa, tapas, paella and tortilla are some of the most typical words that come to our minds when we think of Spain. And it makes sense, since those are the magical things that take us to the streets of Madrid, the Ramblas of Barcelona, the Fallas in Valencia or the summer in Mallorca or Tenerife.

Being a Spaniard who has been living abroad for a few times in different parts of the world, food is probably the thing that I have been missing the most. Although nowadays it is easier to find products all over the world like the famous jamón serrano, chorizo, pimientos del piquillo or even the amazing pimentón de la Vera, it is not as easy to enjoy original food from Spain as it is to enjoy Chinese or Italian food. Maybe because Chinese and Italian people have been doing their job promoting their culture for a longer time in foreign countries than we have. 

According to my experience in the USA, Germany or Colombia, and compared to other cuisines, there are not that many Spanish restaurants outside Spain. And those who opened a Spanish kitchen to offer amazing and special dishes do not serve what is considered to be the heart-touching traditional dishes we Spaniards enjoy every day. Do not get me wrong, the food these restaurants prepare is great, but they decided to give it a special touch that is different from the original taste because evolving is always good.

As an example, while I was living in New York, I attended a special dinner in one of the most famous Spanish restaurants in the city. Great atmosphere, great food, great flavors. I was going to enjoy a beautiful menu. Among some of the dishes, I had pulpo a la gallega. As many of you may know, pulpo a la gallega (or pulpo a feira in Galician) is made with boiled potatoes, boiled octopus, some pimentón, salt and olive oil, that's it. That is one of the dishes anyone can enjoy in Galicia, so every time you try it, it takes you to Santiago de Compostela, to A Coruña, to its coast, to its forests. The dish I was offered at that Spanish restaurant in NYC was made with boiled octopus covered in a special melted cheese and some pimentón. That is new Spanish food and it is AWESOME. I totally support the evolution of Spanish food, it is a must let new Chefs innovate. However, I have to say that the traditional flavors and the feelings that we have deep in us are those that take us to the table of our grandparents surrounded by our family on a sunny Sunday afternoon in Spain. That is what was difficult for me to find.

So, what am I trying to say? Simple. We all know how it tastes traditional pizza, focaccia, spaghetti, spring rolls, Peking-style duck or sweet and sour pork. It does not matter if you live in the UK, the US, Germany, Denmark...you probably have a Chinese or Italian restaurant two blocks away or downtown in your city where you can find their traditional food and at an affordable price. However, only those people who have visited Spain or those who know some Spaniards living abroad might have enjoyed the real taste of Spain. 

Outside Spain, there are just a few amount of places that preserve the traditional flavors and aromas of this great country and take them to the customer. Until these type of places become more popular or we Spaniards dare to open them, I would like to bring you this food so you can prepare it and enjoy it yourself at home. And I promise it will taste even better, because it will be your own hands the ones that will take care of the products, of every single ingredient, like the artist takes care of his painting or the musician takes care of the notes. Because let's be aware of this, we are talking about art here, a huge work of immaterial art that has been made for hundreds of years.

I will share with you stories about our food, anecdotes, funny facts and, of course, recipes, dozens of them. And why not, I will also show you a couple of recipes including new ideas, new ingredients, combining cultures and flavors that work really good together, clarifying that those are not the traditional recipes, but still having an open mind. I will take you to the sunny south, the magical north, the warmth of the east and the brave heart of Spain. I hope you enjoy this blog and you become part of it. Ask me, make any suggestions you may have, I will read all of them.

Thank you and enjoy!