Many, if not most, foodstuffs in other countries take their name from their place of origin, such as practically any cheese from Europe (as do the continent’s wines).
Did you see Stanley Tucci’s first installment of his series “Searching for Italy” on CNN on Feb. 14? He traipsed in and around Naples and the Amalfi Coast and, at one point, ate at a restaurant on the island of Ischia and enjoyed one of his favorite dishes from there, coniglio all’ischiana, rabbit done as on the island of Ischia.
Like countless recipes from Italy, France and Spain (to name just three countries), the recipe tells the main ingredient and, in this case as in many others, politically incorrectly assumes that the cook be a woman. (In fact, on the show, the rabbit was prepared by a very large male, part-owner of the place with his many other family members.)
We, too, have foods named after places (Boston baked beans, Chicago hot dogs, San Francisco sourdough, and so on), but not to such a degree as the Europeans. Our foodstuffs usually get their name from a brand. Indeed, some brands have come to mean particular foods, such as Pringles, Spam or Hellman’s.
The tortilla Española takes its name from a very, very large place, the whole of the country of Spain. No smaller subdivision of Spain, such as La Rioja or La Mancha, is allowed to claim exclusive ownership of tortilla Española. It is the prototypical Spanish dish — potatoes, often onions, always eggs — made by home cooks and restaurateurs, male and female, throughout the country. When you travel there, wee wedges or squares of it will grace every tapas menu.
“Tortilla” does not mean what we take it to mean hereabouts: a corn or flour flatbread situated to become a taco or burrito. The usual translation is “omelet,” but a tortilla Española isn’t what we think of as an omelet, either. It’s more like a frittata, but finished on top of the stove rather than in the oven.
There are two main ways to make a tortilla Española: using a small amount of olive oil (under 1 cup) or using an unholy amount of olive oil (3-4 cups). I provide both methods, so that you may make your choice. The great benefit of poaching the potatoes and onions in a large quantity of olive oil is to render them creamy, almost pudding-like.
Tortilla Española I
Makes a meal for 4 or 8-12 tapas
Ingredients
3/4 cup good quality olive oil
4 medium-large potatoes (either russets or waxies such as Yukon Gold, but the latter slightly preferable), peeled
1 medium sweet onion, peeled and finely sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
5 large eggs
Directions
Prepare the potatoes: Cut them longways in half, then in half again so that you end up with 4 longish pieces. Using a sharp knife or mandoline, cut each piece into 1/8-inch slices and pat dry with paper toweling. Toss the potatoes and onions together in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a well-seasoned cast-iron pan or (preferably) a non-stick skillet that will accommodate everything. Slip in a layer of the onions and potatoes, coating them with the oil, then another layer, and so on. Lower the heat to medium-low and “simmer-fry” the mixture for 20-30 minutes, turning it over once in a while but not allowing the potatoes to brown; cook the mixture through.
Meanwhile, in another large bowl, beat the eggs with a little salt until well combined. When the potato mixture is finished cooking, drain it in a colander set over a bowl, saving the oil. Cool the mixture slightly, pat lightly with paper toweling, then pour the potatoes and onions into the bowl with the eggs, stirring to combine and patting down on the whole with the back of a spatula. Let the mixture rest like that for 10 minutes.
Wipe out the skillet for any browned bits and add back 2 tablespoons of the saved oil. Over medium heat, slip in all the mix of potato, onion and egg and pat it down with the back of a spatula so that it is a thick, flat cake. Cook for 4-5 minutes, shaking nearly constantly so that the mix does not stick and using the spatula to push down along the rim of the cake, shaping it nicely with rounded edges.
Now invert the tortilla in order to cook the other side, for about 3-4 minutes depending on how thick the tortilla is. You can do this by slipping it off onto a plate, then using another plate turned upside down over that and flipping both plates, then into the skillet again. Or you may use the skillet’s top, should it have one, flipping as with the two plates.
Or you may just use a broiler for a quick browning if you’re circumspect about flipping hot foods. (If you wish, you may flip the tortilla a couple of times again in order to even out its crusting and color. It should be a comely golden brown on both sides.)
Turn the tortilla out onto a serving plate and cut into wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Tortilla Española II
Makes a meal for 4 or 8-12 tapas
Prepare exactly as above and with the same overall measurements for ingredients, but using 3-4 cups good quality olive oil. You will poach more than “simmer-fry.” All the potatoes and onions boil at a steady rate for 20-30 minutes, with the occasional stir with a large spoon.
Once cooked through, drain well in a colander (set over a heat-proof bowl), pat lightly with paper toweling and proceed with the eggs. You’ll merely have more oil reserved than with the first method. Any excess can be used again for another tortilla Española, or as dipping oil for bread or filtered and used in more delicate fare.
https://www.denverpost.com/2021/02/24/get-cooking-tortilla-espanola/
2021-02-24 13:00:22Z
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