Subject: Tortilla Espanola
From: Gail de Prosse <[email-masked]>
Date: 29 Aug 1997 06:10:00 -0600
Newsgroups: rec.food.recipes

I learned to make tortilla from my roommate's Spanish mom.  The keys 
are--PATIENCE, the right pan, and plenty of good olive oil.

Ingredients:
olive oil (about 1/3 cup)
russet potatoes (about 4)
eggs (about 8)

Peel and cut potatoes in smallish cubes (1/2-3/4 inch).  Put them in 
lots of olive oil over low heat.  The potatoes should cover the bottom 
of the pan without crowding.  A nonstick pan is helpful.  Cook the 
potatoes slowly; don't let them color.  They may stick to the pan.  Just 
scrape them up and turn them every so often.  When they are soft, make 
your decision about what size you want your tortilla. 6 to 8 inches is a 
good size.  Since the potatoes shrink when cooking, you may want to 
switch to a smaller pan now. A small pan will be easier to handle, but 
you may need to make a few tortillas.  The potatoes should cover the pan 
bottom without crowding.  Salt the potatoes and add beaten eggs seasoned 
with salt.  How many eggs you add depends on the size of your pan.  
There should be enough egg that the potatoes are just barely sticking up 
out of it.  Cook it gently, lifting the sides and tipping the pan so 
that the liquid eggs run underneath.  It looks really lumpy and terrible 
now.  Don't worry!  Loosen the bottom of the tortilla all around with a 
spatula (the top will not be cooked).  Put a plate over the pan and turn 
it over.  This takes courage.  Sometimes part of the tortilla remains in 
the pan.  Just scrape it up and pat it in place.  Put more olive oil in 
the pan (you can wipe out the pan with paper towel if it's really messy) 
and slide the tortilla back in to cook the other side.  Cook gently, 
lifting the edges every so often to keep it from sticking.  The egg 
should not take on color; if the heat is too high it will become tough.  
Repeat the flipping and sliding procedure a few more times.  Each time 
the tortilla will look a little better and hold its shape.  When it is 
cooked through and has a good shape, loosen it and slide it onto a 
serving plate.  Let it cool; cut in wedges and serve.  (Leftovers make a 
great sandwich in French bread.)

Variations:  add sauteed onion chunks before adding eggs

This technique takes practice, so don't be discouraged if your first few 
attempts are unsuccessful.  When you find the right pan and have worked 
out the proportion of potatoes to eggs, you will be so happy you didn't 
give up.  This is a delicious, inexpensive, satisfying dish.

~~~
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