Tortilla de patatas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The tortilla de patatas or Spanish omelette is an egg omelette with fried potatoes. Frequently it also includes onion and garlic, depending on region or taste. The potatoes and onions are sliced and fried in abundant oil (preferably olive oil) so they get fried but also boiled in the oil. Then they are mixed with raw beaten eggs before being slowly re-fried on a pan. The tortilla is fried first on one side and then flipped over to fry on its other side, with the help of a saucer or a ceramic lid-like utensil made for purpose called a "vuelve-tortillas". It is one of the most common tapas throughout Spain and a favourite at Spanish picnics, as it can also be enjoyed cold. A tapas portion of tortilla is called pincho de tortilla
This dish is sometimes called tortilla Española. In The Americas and the Canary Islands) tortilla de papas. Of course, other than its shared Spanish name which means "small torte", there is nothing in common with the common flatbread used in Mexican and Central American cuisine, also known as tortilla),
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[edit] History
The first document known in which a reference appears to the potato tortilla is navarrese. One is an anonymous one: “Memorial of the mousehole”, directed to the Spanish Parliament in 1817, which depicts the miserable conditions in which agriculturists live by comparing them with the inhabitants on Pamplona and Ribera. The letter describes one of the foods eaten by the mountain dwellers: ” … two or three eggs in one tortilla instead of five or six, because our women know how to make it large and thick with few eggs using potatoes, breadcrumbs, or other things… “[citation needed]
[edit] Varieties
There are many variants for this dish, and almost every Spanish home has its own favourite way of preparing tortilla. Some of the many additions to the base ingredients include: green peppers,chorizo, courgettes,mushrooms, or diced ham. A peculiar variant is tortilla paisana that in addition to the potatoes and egg includes red pepper, and peas. The texture and width of the tortilla varies according to regions and taste. Tortilla almost always accompanied by bread and frequently by pickles such as olives and gherkins. In many bars and canteens, it is served as a bocadillo (a sandwich made with crusty bread).
In Argentina a variety of potato tortillas exists where the preparation is practically identical to its ancestral Spanish, the difference being that it includes more onion (cut in fine strips) and, as in the case of tortillas of beet and spinach, two similar plates are used to mold the mixture.
The Swiss rösti is a similar looking dish, also consisting of diced potatoes but without any eggs, resulting in a very different taste.
