Since deciding to really work on my writing, I’ve disciplined myself to write at least three pages every morning- which leaves me less time to prepare the sort of fancy breakfasts my husband and I love. I’ve made night-before breakfast puddings, of course, and have a bag of croissants in the freezer, ready to pop into the oven for some buttery morning bliss. But I wanted something different- and remembered one of my favorite dishes when I was traveling Spain as a Vegetarian (!): Tortilla de Patatas.
At first, I thought Tortilla had something to do with the corn chips- and what a delight it was to discover that it was actually a thick omelette, filled with something delicious. Like fried potatoes.
I make this the night before, and don’t bother to heat it up, because my husband likes his cold, with lots of tomato ketchup. But by all means, give it a few minutes in the oven if you want it hot.
Oh, and these are perfect for other times of the day as well- like lunch, dinner, or as some late-night tapas.
Tortilla de Patatas
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4-5 large potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
salt & pepper to taste
4 large eggs
First, cook the potatoes: heat the olive oil in a skillet over low to medium, and cook potatoes slowly. Do NOT fry them, you’re not making hash browns here. You want the potatoes cooked and soft, but not mushy. Drain, and set aside.
In a large bowl, beat eggs with a whisk. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add potatoes to the eggs, and let sit for about 10 minutes. Heat more olive oil in a large skillet, and pour the egg-potato mixture in. Shake pan around to prevent sticking and get it evenly cooked… after a few seconds, when the bottom is cooked and firm, flip. Cook until golden brown.