Monday 20 April 2020

DIY SPANISH TORTILLA


Facing another weekend in lockdown, I thought it was only fitting to try and bring a bit of holiday feeling into my cooking, who knows when anyone's next trip abroad will be after all!

Quickly a solo trip to Madrid in 2018 came to mind, filled with amazing food and drink across the board, Madrid being one of those wonderfully vibrant places I cannot wait to revisit when this is all over. 

One food in particular stood out as somewhat representative of the trip and that feeling sunshine, sangria and not a worry in the world and that was a traditional Spanish tortilla, that gorgeous mix of potato, onion and runny egg, so simple yet so damn delicious when done well. 

I was a little intimidated by attempting my own, mainly because I have had some pretty rubbish overcooked ones before and also because the whole flipping the thing around half way through scared me a little, but I should have not feared, it was actually super fun to make my own Spanish tortilla and the end result was damn delicious!

One reason why it probably turned out so well is because I found a fab recipe by Barrafina, London's most well regarded tapas restaurant, which I knew I could trust, especially as there are about a million different tortilla recipes online, all different, which could have seen this end in disaster! 

This recipe makes 2-3 individual tortillas, I had a perfect non stick small pan for this, but worry not if you only have one big one, you can easily slice it up! I like my tortilla quite runny so make sure not to overcook it or you just get a very potatoey omelette! 

I enjoyed my finished tortilla in the sunshine, on my balcony, with a lovely little side salad of roasted beetroot and carrots, roasted in a lmix of honey, olive oil and balsamic vinegar, on a bed of rocket and with a great glass of rose from my local artisan wine shop, Made In Little France, and where you can try to support your local businesses during this time!

Anyways for the duration of my solo Sunday night dinner it was almost like I was back in Madrid, a welcome break from the mundanity of daily life right now.

Serves 2-3

INGREDIENTS
  • 2 large potatoes
  • 2 large white onions
  • 6 eggs, free-range
  • 750ml vegetable oil, for deep-frying
  • Olive oil
  • Flaky sea salt

METHOD
  • Julienne the onions very finely. 
  • Cook them slowly in a little olive oil until very soft and a little caramelised. 
  • Set aside
  • Deep-fry the potatoes until completely tender in a pot with the vegetable oil, (adding both at the same time and then turning on heat). 
  • Drain thoroughly and set aside.
  • Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl and beat the yolks together until combined.
  • Add the potatoes and onions, mix thoroughly, the potatoes may break up a bit but that is fine, then cover with kitchen foil to let the egg mixture soak into the potatoes for about 15 minutes. 
  • Add a small amount of olive oil to a small tortilla pan and place over a medium heat.
  • Add the tortilla mixture to the pan and cook until golden on the underside. 
  • Flip over carefully using a plate that is bigger than the pan and cook the other side until it is light brown in colour. 
  • The inside should remain slightly runny.
  • Serve warm with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

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