The great Spanish debate is not about politics or football. It’s about whether the tortilla española should be jugosa (soft and slightly runny in the centre) or fully set. This recipe is firmly on the side of jugosa. A tortilla with a completely cooked centre is technically correct but spiritually inert. You want the egg to tremble when you cut it.
The other debate — onion or no onion — is settled here in favour of onion. The onion con cebolla version is sweeter, more complex, and harder to make badly. This is the one you want.
Ingredients (serves 4–6)
- 600g waxy potatoes (Charlotte or similar), peeled
- 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 6 large eggs, at room temperature
- 250ml olive oil (for frying — not extra virgin)
- 1 tsp fine salt
Method
1. Confite the potatoes and onion. Slice the potatoes thinly (3–4mm) — not paper thin, not thick. Combine with the sliced onion and 1 tsp salt in a bowl. Heat the olive oil in a 24cm non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the potato and onion mixture. The oil should come about halfway up. Cook gently for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are completely tender but not coloured. You’re confiting, not frying. Drain through a colander, reserving the oil.
2. Beat the eggs. Beat the eggs vigorously with a good pinch of salt until completely combined. Add the hot potato and onion mixture immediately and fold together. Leave to rest for 5 minutes — the eggs will begin to set slightly around the potatoes.
3. Cook the first side. Heat 2 tbsp of the reserved oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Pour in the egg and potato mixture and spread evenly. Cook for 3–4 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the edges are set and the base is lightly golden. The centre should still be liquid.
4. The flip. Place a large plate (wider than the pan) over the pan. In one confident motion, invert — pan over plate — so the tortilla drops onto the plate. Slide it back into the pan, uncooked side down. Cook for 2 minutes more for jugosa, 3–4 minutes for more set.
5. Rest and serve. Slide onto a board and rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting. Serve at room temperature — tortilla is better warm than hot. Cut in wedges or, in a bar, into small squares on cocktail sticks.
Notes
On the pan: A good non-stick pan makes the flip possible. A bad one makes it a disaster. Use your best one.
On the olive oil: The potato-poaching oil keeps for weeks in the fridge and is extraordinary for roasting vegetables or frying eggs.
On leftovers: Cold tortilla the next day, on bread with alioli, is one of the great Spanish lunch experiences.