Spanish Tortilla

 

What constitutes a proper Spanish tortilla? Sliced potatoes sautéed in olive oil, piled in a skillet, coated with beaten eggs, and cooked.

 

Ingredients

6 eggs, beaten

2 Yukon Gold potatoes

2 to 3 green onions chopped up to the light green parts

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt to taste

 

Cut the potatoes (peeled or unpeeled) into disks that are 1/4 to 1/8 inch broad. 

Fry potato slices in batches as follows:

Heat the olive oil in a cast-iron or hard-anodized aluminum pan (one that can withstand the heat of an oven broiler) over medium-high heat. Begin frying the potatoes in one layer when the oil is hot enough to sear them as soon as they strike it - test with an end piece.

 

Fry them in batches until they are lightly browned but not crunchy. Whenever the potatoes are done, pat them dry with a paper towel and generously salt them. Continue to fry until all of them are done.

 

Sauté onions, then top over fried potato slices.

Whenever the potatoes are done, remove all but a tablespoon of the oil from the pan and sauté the onions. Turn off the heat when the onions are just starting to crisp.

Spread the onions so that they cover the bottom of the pan equally. Place the potatoes in a scalloped pattern on top of the onions.

 

Return the heat to medium, and then add the beaten eggs. Apply a hefty amount of salt to taste. Rattle the pan to cover everything in it with the eggs.

Allow this to cook until the edges of the tortilla start to solidify, then place the pan under the broiler.

 

Broil for 5 minutes, or till top browns, to brown the top: Broil it under the broiler for 5 minutes. If you prefer to finish the tortilla on the stovetop rather than under the broiler, slip it out of the pan onto a platter. Next, invert the pan over the plate and flip the whole thing, pan, and plate, so the tortilla falls back into the pan, less-cooked side down.

Cut into slices and serve: It's also nice at room temperature and will keep in the fridge for a few days.