Tortilla Española (Spanish Potato & Onion Tortilla)

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

The tapas-bar classic done properly: potatoes poached low and slow in olive oil until they're creamy rather than crisp, folded into eggs, rested so the starch drinks up the custard, then cooked in a small skillet and flipped on a plate for that domed, barely-set center. It's just as good at room temperature an hour later, which makes it the most useful party dish in the Spanish repertoire.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes (about 3 medium)
• 1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 cups mild extra-virgin olive oil (or olive oil), for poaching
• 1 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, divided

• 8 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp reserved potato-poaching oil, for the pan

• flaky sea salt
• crusty bread or baguette slices
• 1/4 cup aioli or garlic mayonnaise

Instructions

1. Peel the potatoes and slice them 1/8 inch thick — a mandoline or the slicing side of a box grater is ideal, but a steady knife is fine. Do not rinse the slices; the surface starch helps bind the tortilla. Pat them dry with a towel.
2. Pour the 2 cups olive oil into a 10-inch skillet or a wide saucepan and warm over medium heat until it reaches 250–275°F (a slice of potato should give off lazy, occasional bubbles, never a sizzle). Slide in the potatoes and onion, add 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and adjust the heat so the oil stays barely trembling.
3. Poach 22–28 minutes, stirring gently with a slotted spoon every 5 minutes so the layers separate and cook evenly. The potatoes are ready when a slice crushes instantly against the side of the pan and the onion is golden and jammy. They should be pale and silky, not browned or crisp — if they start to color, lower the heat.
4. Set a colander over a bowl and drain the potatoes and onion, reserving the oil. Let them drain 5 minutes, then sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the strained oil for cooking; save the rest in a jar for another tortilla, for roasting vegetables, or for vinaigrettes.
5. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper until the whites and yolks are fully combined but not foamy, about 30 seconds. Add the warm potatoes and onion and fold gently with a spatula, breaking a few slices to thicken the mixture. Let the bowl sit 15 minutes at room temperature — this rest is what makes the tortilla cohesive instead of loose.
6. Heat a well-seasoned 9- or 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat with the 2 tablespoons reserved oil until it shimmers. Pour in the egg-potato mixture, spread it level, and immediately reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook 5–7 minutes, running a silicone spatula around the edge every minute and pushing the sides inward to build a rounded, domed edge. The tortilla is ready to flip when the bottom is set and golden and the top is still visibly wet in the center.
7. Slide the skillet off the heat. Cover it with a flat plate slightly larger than the pan, press the plate down with your palm (use a towel — it's hot), and invert the whole thing in one confident motion, holding the pan handle with your other hand. Lift away the skillet; the cooked side is now facing up on the plate.
8. Return the skillet to medium-low heat, add a teaspoon of the reserved oil if it looks dry, and slide the tortilla back in, uncooked side down. Tuck the edges under with the spatula to round the sides. Cook 3–4 minutes for a jammy, just-set center or 5–6 minutes if you prefer it firm all the way through.
9. Slide the tortilla onto a serving plate and let it rest at least 10 minutes — it continues to set as it cools. Finish with flaky salt and cut into wedges or 1-inch squares. Serve warm or at room temperature, with bread and aioli if you like.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

More from Sprig Originals

Duck Confit Cornbread Waffles with Cane Syrup Gastrique

Dark Roux Seafood Gumbo with Quick Shrimp Stock

One-Skillet Blackened Cajun Chicken Pasta

Are you this recipe's original author or publisher? Report a problem