Spanish tortilla (tortilla española, a potato and onion omelet) is something I grew into liking. My first experience with it was parties in my high school Spanish classes. It was not made in a particularly traditional way (the onions were barely cooked and they used frozen hash brown potatoes) and maybe that's why I wasn't into it. To be fair, it would have been difficult to cook it properly in a classroom, and I think it can be difficult even with the proper equipment.
I think I finally started making it for myself when I made a vegetarian friend and wanted to cook things for her, and decided to try this out because I had all the ingredients on hand. Sometimes I doubt that it will taste good, and every time it manages to prove me wrong. Spanish tortilla may be simple, but it is most definitely good.
Notes/changes:
- Grease the baking dish well. I had trouble removing it and washing the dish afterward.
- It might sound like a lot of olive oil to you but do not be afraid. It gives a rich, satisfying flavor to the entire dish.
- I like to cook the onions until they're pretty soft rather than just translucent, because I like how sweet they get.
- I started with cooked potatoes so I didn't cook those on the stove before putting them into the oven.
- I like to sprinkle some smoked paprika on the top of the finished dish just before serving. Probably not traditional, but it's pretty and tasty.
- This goes really well with green salad for a meal.
Verdict: Baking it was a nice change, even if I had trouble getting it out of the pan. If I'm making a small serving of it I'll probably continue to cook it on the stove but this is a good way to cook a lot of it.
RECIPE: Baked Spanish Tortilla
