Spanish cuisine has all kinds of tasty treats on offer. To be honest, almost too many to be able to try everything once ;) If I had to highlight something, it’s a delicious Tortilla de Patatas – one of my favorite Spanish dishes. It’s a very simple one, but when prepared correctly, it’s an absolute treat!
I’ve loved tortillas for a long time. However, preparing a tortilla successfully took quite a while. You just need a bit of practice ;) The first attempts were all okay in terms of flavor, but I was never satisfied with the looks. The way my tortillas ended up on the plate at the beginning – they wouldn’t have won any beauty contests. ;P
In the beginning, I had huge problems with my »arm-eye-pan-coordination« skills. In other words, I had a lot of trouble flipping the tortilla successfully when cooking. Comparable to preparing a large Swiss Rösti (an XXL hash brown) – they can be a pain in the a**. Although, when I think about it… getting a Rösti right, it’s actually a lot worse than working with a tortilla. ;P
Well. The mixture of the pre-cooked potatoes and eggs has to be almost completely cooked through before you can even think about flipping anything. The potato and egg mixture has to be firm enough, so the tortilla can be easily moved inside the frying pan and then flipped over without any issues. It takes some experience to judge the right consistency. In the beginning, I was always afraid the tortilla would burn if I didn’t act quickly enough. For this reason, I often tried to flip the tortilla too early… which led to an unsightly result. The first tortillas kept falling apart when I turned them over… so many times. ;P
Today, after many attempts, I am wiser and probably a bit more skilled. It’s better to let the tortilla sizzle a little longer – at a lower temperature. If you give the eggs and potatoes a little more time and don’t overdo it with the heat when cooking the tortilla, your chances are much better to get an intact tortilla you can flip (or dance with). ;P
I got a few more Spanish recipes here on the blog – delicious tapas and other treats. Croquetas de Jamón and Albóndigas in Tomato Sauce are loved by everyone here. Both can be served as tapas or as a regular dish (along with a few additional sides). You should try it!
¡Buen provecho!
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
(4 servings)
4-5 medium potatoes
4 large eggs
1/2 onion, finely diced
salt, pepper
1/2-1 cup (120-240ml) olive oil for frying
(4 Personen)
4-5 mittelgroße Kartoffeln
4 Eier (L)
1/2 Zwiebel, fein gewürfelt
Salz, Pfeffer
120-240ml Olivenöl zum Frittieren
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 0.2 inch (0.5cm) thick slices. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan (about 9 inches / 23cm in diameter). Add the potatoes and cook over medium heat – there should be enough oil in the pan to almost completely cover the potatoes. After about 2 minutes, add the onions and continue cooking – it will take about 10-15 minutes in total for the potatoes and onions to be cooked properly. The potatoes should be cooked through and soft, but without a lot of browning.
2. While the potatoes are cooking, you can add the eggs to a large bowl and whisk them briefly. Season with salt and pepper. Drain the cooked potatoes well. Reserve the oil, and set aside for later. Add the potatoes to the bowl with the eggs and mix to combine.
3. Add about 2-3 tablespoons of the reserved oil to the non-stick frying pan and heat up again. Add the potato-egg-mix and cook over medium heat for a few minutes. The mixture should not be stirred and should be allowed to cook undisturbed. As soon as the egg mixture has visible set on top, the tortilla is ready to be turned. You should now be able to move the entire tortilla back and forth in the pan. If necessary, use a wooden spoon or spatula to help loosen the sides of the tortilla.
4. The next step requires a little practice, but it can be done. Cover the tortilla with a plate that is slightly larger than the pan. Flip the frying pan and plate together in one swift movement – the tortilla should detach from the frying pan and fall onto the plate. Place the frying pan back on the stove and add another 1-2 tablespoons of the oil. Carefully slide the tortilla from the plate back into the frying pan and cook/fry the previously top side of the tortilla (now facing down) as well. The tortilla should get some color, but not burn – this can happen when the frying pan is too hot!
5. Remove the frying pan from the heat and let the tortilla slide onto a plate. Allow the tortilla to cool slightly and then cut it into small squares. Serve directly on the plate or in small bowls. The tortilla is best when served warm but also great when cold.
1. Kartoffeln schälen und in etwa 0,5cm (0.2 inch) dicke Scheiben schneiden. Das Olivenöl in eine beschichtete Pfanne geben (Durchmesser etwa 23cm/9 inch) und erhitzen. Kartoffeln zugeben und bei mittlerer Hitze kochen – es sollte genug Öl in der Pfanne sein, damit die Kartoffeln fast komplett bedeckt sind. Nach etwa 2 Minuten die Zwiebeln zugeben und mitkochen – es dauert insgesamt etwa 10-15 Minuten, bis Kartoffeln und Zwiebeln die richtige Konsistenz haben. Die Kartoffeln sollten durchgekocht und weich sein, aber nicht viel Farbe bekommen haben.
2. Während die Kartoffeln kochen, kann man die Eier in eine Schüssel geben und kurz verquirlen. Mit Salz und Pfeffer würzen. Die fertigen Kartoffeln gut abtropfen lassen – das Öl dabei auffangen und für später zur Seite stellen. Die Kartoffeln zur Schüssel mit den Eiern zugeben und vermischen.
3. Vom zurückgehaltenen Öl etwa 2-3 EL in die beschichtete Pfanne geben und erneut erhitzen. Die Kartoffel-Ei-Mischung dazugeben und bei mittlerer Hitzezufuhr einige Minuten anbraten. Die Masse sollte dabei nicht gerührt werden und ungestört blubbern können. Sobald die Eimasse gestockt hat, ist die Tortilla bereit für das Wenden. Die gesamte Masse sollte sich jetzt in der Pfanne hin und her schieben lassen – ggf. mit einem Holzlöffel oder Pfannenwender etwas nachhelfen und die Tortilla an den Seiten lösen.
4. Der nächste Schritt erfordert etwas Übung, ist aber zu schaffen. Die gestockte Tortilla mit einem Teller abdecken, der etwas größer ist als die Pfanne. Pfanne und Teller dann zusammen in einer zügigen Bewegung umdrehen – die Tortilla sollte sich von der Pfanne gelöst haben und jetzt auf dem Teller liegen. Die Pfanne zurück auf den Herd stellen und noch einmal etwa 1-2 EL vom Öl darin verteilen. Die Tortilla vorsichtig vom Teller zurück in die Pfanne gleiten lassen und die zweite Seite der Tortilla ebenfalls anbraten. Kartoffeln und Eier sollte etwas Farbe bekommen, aber nicht verbrennen – passiert gerne mal, wenn die Pfanne zu heiß ist!
5. Die Pfanne vom Herd ziehen und die Tortilla auf eine Platte gleiten lassen. Die Tortilla etwas abkühlen lassen und dann in kleine Quadrate schneiden – direkt auf der Platte oder in kleinen Schälchen servieren. Schmeckt warm oder kalt.
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
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Tortilla de Patatas Española
- Prep Time: 00:15
- Cook Time: 00:25
- Total Time: 00:40
- Yield: 1
- Category: Tapas
- Cuisine: Spain
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Tortilla de Patatas is a beloved dish from Spain – often served as Tapa in bars and restaurants. We love to make this potato omelette when friends are coming.
Ingredients
(4 servings)
4-5 medium potatoes
4 large eggs
1/2 onion, finely diced
salt, pepper
1/2-1 cup (120-240ml) olive oil for frying
Instructions
1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 0.2 inch (0.5cm) thick slices. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan (about 9 inches / 23cm in diameter). Add the potatoes and cook over medium heat – there should be enough oil in the pan to almost completely cover the potatoes. After about 2 minutes, add the onions and continue cooking – it will take about 10-15 minutes in total for the potatoes and onions to be cooked properly. The potatoes should be cooked through and soft, but without a lot of browning.
2. While the potatoes are cooking, you can add the eggs to a large bowl and whisk them briefly. Season with salt and pepper. Drain the cooked potatoes well. Reserve the oil, and set aside for later. Add the potatoes to the bowl with the eggs and mix to combine.
3. Add about 2-3 tablespoons of the reserved oil to the non-stick frying pan and heat up again. Add the potato-egg-mix and cook over medium heat for a few minutes. The mixture should not be stirred and should be allowed to cook undisturbed. As soon as the egg mixture has visible set on top, the tortilla is ready to be turned. You should now be able to move the entire tortilla back and forth in the pan. If necessary, use a wooden spoon or spatula to help loosen the sides of the tortilla.
4. The next step requires a little practice, but it can be done. Cover the tortilla with a plate that is slightly larger than the pan. Flip the frying pan and plate together in one swift movement – the tortilla should detach from the frying pan and fall onto the plate. Place the frying pan back on the stove and add another 1-2 tablespoons of the oil. Carefully slide the tortilla from the plate back into the frying pan and cook/fry the previously top side of the tortilla (now facing down) as well. The tortilla should get some color, but not burn – this can happen when the frying pan is too hot!
5. Remove the frying pan from the heat and let the tortilla slide onto a plate. Allow the tortilla to cool slightly and then cut it into small squares. Serve directly on the plate or in small bowls. The tortilla is best when served warm but also great when cold.
Notes
¡Buen provecho!
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I love my job, but in between I love to bake and try new things in the kitchen. A lot of my friends and colleagues encourage me to bake - for a very simple reason: they get the leftovers - and it seems they like it most of the time ;) 
