Tortilla de patatas
Encyclopedia
The Spanish omelette or Spanish tortilla, also called simply tortilla in English when there is no confusion with the Mexican maize tortilla, is a typically Spanish
dish consisting of a thick egg
omelette
made with potato
es and fried in olive oil.
(tortilla francesa, French tortilla) and from the Mexican tortilla. (In Spanish-speaking countries and regions where potatoes are called papas rather than patatas, it becomes tortilla de papas.)
The potatoes, ideally starchy rather than waxy ones, are cut and then rinsed in water to remove excess starch, then fried in olive oil
at a moderate temperature until they are soft but not brown, then drained, mixed with raw beaten eggs, and slowly fried in a pan. The tortilla is fried first on one side and then flipped over to fry on its other side. This may be done with the help of a plate or a "vuelve tortillas" (a ceramic lid-like utensil made for this particular purpose). Wetting the plate prevents the tortilla from sticking when it is slid back into the pan. Other ingredients, especially onion
s, can be added.
The tortilla may be eaten hot or cold; it is commonly served as a snack (tapa
) or picnic dish throughout Spain. As a tapa, it may be cut into bite-size pieces served on cocktail stick
s (pincho de tortilla).
document. It is an anonymous "Mousehole's memorial" addressed to Navarra's Court in 1817. It explains the sparse conditions of the farmers in contrast with Pamplona's and the Ribera's inhabitants. After listing the sparse food eaten by highlanders, the next quote follows: "…two to three eggs in tortilla for 5 or 6 [people] as our women do know how to make it big and thick with less eggs, mixing potatoes, breadcrumbs or whatever."
According to legend, during the siege of Bilbao, Carlist general Tomás de Zumalacárregui
created the "tortilla de patatas" as an easy, fast and nutritious dish to satisfy the scarcities of the Carlist army. Although it remains unknown whether this is true, it appears the tortilla started to spread during the early Carlist wars.
Another tale is that during the war, Zumalacárregui was in the field and happened upon a farmhouse and demanded a meal from the farmwife. All she had were a few eggs, a potato and an onion, so she combined all three, making an omelette. Surprisingly, Zumalacárregui was pleased and took the idea with him.
A Spanish omelette can range from an authentic and carefully-made seasoned preparation made from raw potatoes of a variety carefully selected for best results, eggs and good olive oil, and nothing else, through dishes with onions and many additional ingredients, to an improvised dish with leftover boiled or chipped (French-fried) potatoes
(or even crisps/potato chips)), various vegetables, sausages, etc. that happen to be at hand, cooked in vegetable oil or other fat.
Some of the many additions to the base ingredients for what is still called a Spanish omelette include green peppers, chorizo
, courgettes, aubergines, mushrooms
, and diced ham
. The tortilla paisana includes red pepper
and peas
. The texture and thickness of tortillas vary according to region and taste. In Spain, a tortilla is almost always accompanied by bread
and frequently by pickles
, such as olives and gherkins. In many bars
and canteens, it is served in a bocadillo (a sandwich made with crusty bread).
Spanish cuisine
Spanish cuisine consists of a variety of dishes, which stem from differences in geography, culture and climate. It is heavily influenced by seafood available from the waters that surround the country, and reflects the country's deep maritime roots...
dish consisting of a thick egg
Egg (food)
Eggs are laid by females of many different species, including birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish, and have probably been eaten by mankind for millennia. Bird and reptile eggs consist of a protective eggshell, albumen , and vitellus , contained within various thin membranes...
omelette
Omelette
In cuisine, an omelette or omelet is a dish made from beaten eggs quickly cooked with butter or oil in a frying pan, sometimes folded around a filling such as cheese, vegetables, meat , or some combination of the above...
made with potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
es and fried in olive oil.
Spanish names
In Spanish, this dish is called tortilla de patatas (papas) or tortilla española to distinguish it from an omeletteOmelette
In cuisine, an omelette or omelet is a dish made from beaten eggs quickly cooked with butter or oil in a frying pan, sometimes folded around a filling such as cheese, vegetables, meat , or some combination of the above...
(tortilla francesa, French tortilla) and from the Mexican tortilla. (In Spanish-speaking countries and regions where potatoes are called papas rather than patatas, it becomes tortilla de papas.)
Preparation
Olive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
at a moderate temperature until they are soft but not brown, then drained, mixed with raw beaten eggs, and slowly fried in a pan. The tortilla is fried first on one side and then flipped over to fry on its other side. This may be done with the help of a plate or a "vuelve tortillas" (a ceramic lid-like utensil made for this particular purpose). Wetting the plate prevents the tortilla from sticking when it is slid back into the pan. Other ingredients, especially onion
Onion
The onion , also known as the bulb onion, common onion and garden onion, is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. The genus Allium also contains a number of other species variously referred to as onions and cultivated for food, such as the Japanese bunching onion The onion...
s, can be added.
The tortilla may be eaten hot or cold; it is commonly served as a snack (tapa
Tapas
Tapas are a wide variety of appetizers, or snacks, in Spanish cuisine. They may be cold or warm ....
) or picnic dish throughout Spain. As a tapa, it may be cut into bite-size pieces served on cocktail stick
Cocktail stick
A cocktail stick is a short cylindrical stick, made of wood, that has a somewhat sharp point on both ends. It is usually used as a skewer for holding decorations in cocktails and also for serving food at parties.- Further reading :*Br Med J . 1987 Dec 19-26;295:1658...
s (pincho de tortilla).
History
The first reference to the tortilla in Spanish is found in a NavarreseNavarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
document. It is an anonymous "Mousehole's memorial" addressed to Navarra's Court in 1817. It explains the sparse conditions of the farmers in contrast with Pamplona's and the Ribera's inhabitants. After listing the sparse food eaten by highlanders, the next quote follows: "…two to three eggs in tortilla for 5 or 6 [people] as our women do know how to make it big and thick with less eggs, mixing potatoes, breadcrumbs or whatever."
According to legend, during the siege of Bilbao, Carlist general Tomás de Zumalacárregui
Tomás de Zumalacárregui
- From Peninsula War to Ferdinand VII:Zumalacárregui was born at Ormaiztegi in Gipuzkoa, Basque Country, on 29 December 1788. His father, Francisco Antonio de Zumalacárregui, was a lawyer who possessed some property, and the son was articled to a solicitor....
created the "tortilla de patatas" as an easy, fast and nutritious dish to satisfy the scarcities of the Carlist army. Although it remains unknown whether this is true, it appears the tortilla started to spread during the early Carlist wars.
Another tale is that during the war, Zumalacárregui was in the field and happened upon a farmhouse and demanded a meal from the farmwife. All she had were a few eggs, a potato and an onion, so she combined all three, making an omelette. Surprisingly, Zumalacárregui was pleased and took the idea with him.
Variations
French fries
French fries , chips, fries, or French-fried potatoes are strips of deep-fried potato. North Americans tend to refer to any pieces of deep-fried potatoes as fries or French fries, while in the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, long, thinly cut slices of deep-fried potatoes are...
(or even crisps/potato chips)), various vegetables, sausages, etc. that happen to be at hand, cooked in vegetable oil or other fat.
Some of the many additions to the base ingredients for what is still called a Spanish omelette include green peppers, chorizo
Chorizo
Chorizo is a term encompassing several types of pork sausages originating from the Iberian Peninsula.In English, it is usually pronounced , , or , but sometimes ....
, courgettes, aubergines, mushrooms
Agaricus
Agaricus is a large and important genus of mushrooms containing both edible and poisonous species, with possibly over 300 members worldwide...
, and diced ham
Ham
Ham is a cut of meat from the thigh of the hind leg of certain animals, especiallypigs. Nearly all hams sold today are fully cooked or cured.-Etymology:...
. The tortilla paisana includes red pepper
Capsicum
Capsicum is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. Its species are native to the Americas where they have been cultivated for thousands of years, but they are now also cultivated worldwide, used as spices, vegetables, and medicines - and have become are a key element in...
and peas
PEAS
P.E.A.S. is an acronym in artificial intelligence that stands for Performance, Environment, Actuators, Sensors.-Performance:Performance is a function that measures the quality of the actions the agent did....
. The texture and thickness of tortillas vary according to region and taste. In Spain, a tortilla is almost always accompanied by bread
Bread
Bread is a staple food prepared by cooking a dough of flour and water and often additional ingredients. Doughs are usually baked, but in some cuisines breads are steamed , fried , or baked on an unoiled frying pan . It may be leavened or unleavened...
and frequently by pickles
Pickling
Pickling, also known as brining or corning is the process of preserving food by anaerobic fermentation in brine to produce lactic acid, or marinating and storing it in an acid solution, usually vinegar . The resulting food is called a pickle. This procedure gives the food a salty or sour taste...
, such as olives and gherkins. In many bars
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
and canteens, it is served in a bocadillo (a sandwich made with crusty bread).