This tortilla has been in my life for as long as I can remember. It was with me at breakfast times when I couldn’t look at another bowl of cereal, with us at family barbecues and picnics, with me through breakups, and saved me from eating plain eggs AGAIN when I couldn’t stomach any more plain, scrambled eggs.
Normally, a typical tortilla is made first by deep frying the potatoes in 1 – 2 cups of oil, depending on how many potatoes you are using. My mother, however, has managed to cut this amount down to 1/2 a cup, which gives exactly the same crisp and golden results, with half the fat! So long as you use a good quality nonstick pan to prevent sticking, 1/2 cup is the perfect amount of oil.
Ingredients1/2 cup olive oil
5 medium-sized potatoes, diced into 1-inch pieces
1 large brown onion, chopped
8 eggs
Salt, to taste
Cracked black pepper, to taste
parsley, to garnish (optional)
Method* Heat the oil in a nonstick medium-sized (30cm/12-inch) pan. Fry potatoes until crispy, golden and tender.
* Add the onion and fry until transparent. Drain oil (use a metal colander if you have one), until all of the oil is drained.
* Return potatoes and onions to the pan, arranging them in a single layer. Reduce heat down to low.
* Beat eggs with salt and pepper to taste. Pour egg mixture into the pan, moving the potatoes and onions around the eggs using a plastic spatula. Every so often, move the eggs around the potatoes while it's cooking to ensure the eggs cook on the bottom, so there's not much eggs left on the top.
* Place a big, round plate on top of the pan, and with your hand holding the plate, flip the tortilla onto the plate.
* Then, slide the tortilla back into the pan carefully, moving the onion and potatoes carefully back into the pan along with the tortilla.
* Keep cooking, gently shaking the pan occasionally, until completely cooked through.
* To remove the tortilla from the pan, place a clean plate on top of the tortilla and flip again onto the plate. Garnish with parsley (optional).
* Serve with a salad, or use as an entree or appetiser.
* Great for snacks. Traditionally served as tapas in little squares.