Spanish Tortilla with Chorizo - Caity

Let me start by saying, I don't like eggs. Not in any form. At restaurants I order Eggs Benedict, without eggs please. 

But it is possible for me to like this delicious scramble of potatoes, onions, chorizo and eggs. Why? Because it does not taste like eggs to me! I started eating tortilla during the summer I studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain and it has stuck with me. It's great because it keeps well in the fridge, or on the counter. It is good hot or cold and it reheats well.

Spanish tortilla is always confusing to tourists when they first arrive. They order a tortilla and out comes what looks like quiche leaving people confused about what exactly they may have accidentally said in Spanish to order such a thing. I'm not sure where along the line tortilla became a completely different flour/corn object, but I do know one thing: it's amazing!

• 1 1/2 Russet Potatoes
• 1 onion
• 4-6 eggs
• Salt
• Olive oil
• Chorizo (optional)
   

Rinse and peel the potatoes. Cut them into quarters then into slices about 1/3 inch (ish) thick.

Place the slices into a bowl of cold water to prevent them from browning before you are ready to cook.

 

Put about 4 tablespoons of olive oil (feel free to add more if you think the potatoes are burning) to a pan. Please be generous with the olive oil!

Cook, stirring only every couple of minutes, until the potatoes are tender. It is important not to over-stir the potatoes or they will end up mushy. No one wants a mushy tortilla!

 

Meanwhile, cut the onion in half then into rings. I know it will cause you a slight heart attack putting that large amount of onions in, but I promise it is delicious! 

When the potatoes are almost tender, add the onions to the pan with the potatoes. If the pan seems dry and needs more olive oil, add it!

Continue stirring infrequently until the onions are soft.

 

This is a picture of the pan with the potato/onion mixture before the onions are quite soft. 

When they are done dump the potato/onion mixture into a strainer over a bowl. The bowl will catch the extra olive oil and you will use it again later.

Crack 4 eggs into a large bowl and beat well by hand. If the mixture does not look like it is enough to cover the potato/onion mixture with some to spare, continue adding the extra 2 eggs. 

Once you have decided on the final number of eggs, add in a couple of generous pinches of salt. (Note: this does not mean grab a couple grains between your index finger and thumb)

Then beat the eggs well making sure to aerate the eggs. The purpose of this is to make the mixture fluffy. 

 

Now add the strained potato/onion mixture to the beaten egg mixture.

If you are adding chorizo, this is where you would add the sliced chorizo in. 

Stir everything around, getting it all nicely coated in egg. 

Pour a generous amount of the olive oil you saved from the strained potato/egg mixture into a pan and let it heat up for 30 seconds or so over medium heat. 

Then dump the whole egg/potato/onion/chorizo (?) mixture into the hot pan. I cannot tell you enough to ensure the pan will be large enough to be able to hold the entire mixture! Cleaning up burnt tortilla off the stove top is not fun. Not fun!!!! 

Feel free to scramble the eggs for a couple of seconds after pouring it into the pan, but after those first couple of seconds, leave it alone. 

Cook the tortilla until the top of the tortilla is more solid (it will still be wet looking though). Check the sides if possible to see if it is burning. It can be brown but be careful not to burn it. 

Next is the hard part!

Uh oh. The large tortilla needs to be flipped now. What to do?!?!?!

If the pan is too heavy for you to hold with one hand alone grab a strong boyfriend and/or dad.

Next place a large plate on top of the pan. Make sure it's big enough to overlap the sides of the pan. Once I had to use a tray because I made too big of a tortilla. Be creative!

Now this is the hard part. Keeping the plate pinned to the pan flip the tortilla onto the plate. When all is said and done, the wet side of the tortilla will be face down on the plate and the cooked part will be facing up. 

Now add a bit more olive oil to the pan and slide the tortilla, wet side down, back into the pan. No hard feelings if the tortilla splits. Continue cooking for several more minutes then slide it out onto a clean plate.

 _____________________________________

Spanish Tortilla with Chorizo

• 1 1/2 Russet Potatoes
• 1 onion
• 4-6 eggs
• Salt
• Olive oil
• Chorizo (optional)

      Rinse and peel the potatoes. Cut them into quarters then into slices about 1/3 inch (ish) thick. Place the slices into a bowl of cold water to prevent them from browning before you are ready to cook. 

    Put about 4 tablespoons of olive oil (feel free to add more if you think the potatoes are burning) to a pan. Cook, stirring only every couple of minutes, until the potatoes are tender. It is important not to over-stir the potatoes.

    Meanwhile, cut the onion in half then into rings. When the potatoes are almost tender, add the onions to the pan with the potatoes. If the pan seems dry and needs more olive oil, add it! Continue stirring infrequently until the onions are soft.
 

    When they are done dump the potato/onion mixture into a strainer over a bowl. The bowl will catch the extra olive oil and you will use it again later.

     Crack 4 eggs into a large bowl and beat well by hand. If the mixture does not look like it is enough to cover the potato/onion mixture with some to spare, continue adding the extra 2 eggs. Once you have decided on the final number of eggs, add in a couple of generous pinches of salt. (Note: this does not mean grab a couple grains between your index finger and thumb). Then beat the eggs well making sure to aerate the eggs. The purpose of this is to make the mixture fluffy. 

     Now add the strained potato/onion mixture to the beaten egg mixture. If you are adding chorizo, this is where you would add the sliced chorizo in.  Stir everything around, getting it all nicely coated in egg. 

     Pour a generous amount of the olive oil you saved from the strained potato/egg mixture into a pan and let it heat up for 30 seconds or so over medium heat. Then dump the whole egg/potato/onion/chorizo? mixture into the hot pan. I cannot tell you enough to ensure the pan will be large enough to be able to hold the entire mixture!

     Feel free to scramble the eggs for a couple of seconds after pouring it into the pan, but after those first couple seconds, leave it alone. 

    Cook the tortilla until the top of the tortilla is more solid (it will still be wet looking though). Check the sides if possible to see if it is burning. It can be brown but be careful not to burn it.

     If the pan is too heavy for you to hold with one hand alone grab a strong boyfriend and/or dad. Next place the a large plate on top of the pan. Make sure it's big enough to overlap the sides of the pan. Once I had to use a tray because I made too big of a tortilla. Be creative!

     Now this is the hard part. Keeping the plate pinned to the pan flip the tortilla onto the plate. When all is said and done, the wet side of the tortilla will be face down on the plate and the cooked part will be facing up. 

     Now add a bit more olive oil to the pan and slide the tortilla, wet side down, back into the pan. No hard feelings if the tortilla splits. Continue cooking for several more minutes then slide it out onto a clean plate.