Recipe Collection Cuisine Europe Spanish Potato Omelet, the Basic Spanish Omelet
- 1½ lb potatoes, about 3 medium sized potatoes, peeled, washed and finely sliced
- 3-4 eggs
- 1 medium onion, peeled, halved, each half sliced
- 11½ to 2 cups olive oil
- 1 medium onion (optional)
- Heat oil in a large frying pan; add potatoes and onion, if used. Adjust to medium-low and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender, turning occasionally. Once cooked, drain the oil and reserve both, oil and potato mix.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs together and season with salt. Add the cooked potatoes and mix. Let this mixture stand for a few minutes, while you heat the oil for the next step.
- Heat 2 Tbs olive oil –use some of the oil drained from the potatoes- in a 8-inch frying pan. When the oil begins to smoke, add the mixture. Shake the pan to spread it evenly or use a turner. The egg will start to set quickly around the edges, but let it cook on medium heat until it the center sets, about 3 minutes. Shake the pan lightly a couple of times to ensure the omelet does not stick to the bottom.
- When the omelet comes easily away from the sides and the egg is nearly set, flip the omelet over with the assistance of a saucepan lid. Add a smidgen of oil, if necessary, and cook 2-3 minutes on the other side, until fully set. A prefect Spanish omelet should have a golden brown exterior and a tender, slightly moist core.
- Slide onto the serving plate. Let it sit for a few minutes before cutting.
Use a mandolin cutter to get even potato slices; the thinner the slices, the shorter cooking time.
When cooking the potatoes prior to make the omelet, they half fry, half stew in the olive oil. The amount of oil in the pan should be enough to cover them, add more oil if needed.
If flipping over the omelet seems too much, fill individual pie dishes lined with foil with the potato, onion and egg mix and cook in a hot oven for 10-12 minutes. The next best thing.
Some people prefer to add the salt to the potatoes when they are half cooked; others prefer to season the egg. When to add the salt is a point of discussion among cooks.
For more topics of conversation, one can give an opinion on the ratio of potato to egg, or if it is better to beat the eggs one by one or all together; some even go to beat egg whites and yolks separately –to add more air and get a lighter omelet- before mixing them again with the cooked potato and onion.
Ingredients
Waxy potatoes with a thin skin work best, but use what you have at hand. If the potatoes you are using are too starchy, soak the potato slices in water for a few minutes to release the starch. This will also prevent over-browning when frying.
The onion is optional and depends on personal taste. If added, it will help to produce a juicier omelet. Welcome to the ongoing debate about Spanish omelet and onion, should it have onion or should it have not?
Olive oil adds the best flavor and using the best quality available –extra virgin or virgin- is the recommended. Although it is expensive, the oil can drained from the frying pan can be used again for frying –more potatoes or eggs, meat or fish- and cooking. If it is not available or pricey, substitute olive oil with other vegetable oil. Sunflower oil would be the second choice for a Spaniard.
The flavor for less money: Try sunflower oil “flavored” with olive oil 4/5 sunflower to 1/5 olive oil.
Flipping over
The best tool is a saucepan lid about 1 inch larger than the pan. -a plate can be used, but it can easily slip of your hands as the omelet will be hot and it can burn. Hold the lid by the handle, place it over the pan and press, flip the omelet onto the lid and slide it back into the pan, this time the uncooked side down. The handle should be enough to prevent burning your hand, but metal conducts heat very well; hold the handle with a cloth, if you feel more comfortable.
A potato omelet is usually too heavy to flip it over on the air. This feat can be achieved with a smaller version - half the amount of potato, 1 small onion and 2 eggs.
