Teresa’s Spanish Picnic
At lunch one day with Teresa Parker of Spanish Journeys, I asked her about recipes she would suggest for a Spanish picnic. “Spanish people are not really picnickers. They don’t snack a lot, and don’t think sitting down with some bread, wine and cheese or something portable like that is really a lunch. Spaniards have a tradition of eating a big meal in the middle of the day.” She went on to tell about her Andalusian friends who told her about what outdoor eating was for them (which seems very similar to the way Italians dine al fresco). “It was necessary for field workers in olive groves, who started work early in the morning, that by noon, it was time to stop work because of the heat. [Noon is not Spanish lunch hour.] And then they might unpack some bread, a good sausage, a few cured olives they made at home, maybe a bit of cheese, and certainly a tortilla, Spanish comfort food.”
Tortilla Española
Parker says, “Tortilla is something like a frittata, but thicker, cooked first on one side, and then carefully turned over to finish. It is simple to make. All you need are a few basics: potatoes, an onion, eggs and lots of good olive oil. Like other omelets, it tolerates creative additions—in summer, a zucchini is a great addition. Just don’t add cheese—the Spanish would find that very weird.”
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds Yukon gold potatoes (about 5 medium) or use one fewer potato and add a zucchini
- ½ sweet onion, diced
- 1 cup good olive oil
- 6 eggs
- A couple of generous pinches of salt
Preparation
Scrub the potatoes—no need to peel them. Cut them in quarters, lengthwise, then slice each quarter crosswise, about ¼- inch thick. If you’re adding a zucchini, halve it lengthwise and slice.
Warm the oil in a heavy, well-seasoned 9- or 10-inch skillet. Use one with sloped sides, since the straight-up sides of a saute pan make turning the tortilla difficult. Simmer the vegetables in the oil, keeping it gently bubbling, but not so hot that it browns the vegetables.
After about 5 minutes, test the doneness of the potatoes with a fork. When they are just tender, turn off the fire and pour the vegetables into a colander set over a large bowl, letting the oil drain into the bowl for a couple of minutes.
Meanwhile, beat six eggs in another big bowl (large enough to hold the eggs, potatoes and onions). Season the eggs with a heavy pinch of salt. Season the potatoes and onions with another good pinch of salt. Then combine the potatoes and onions and the eggs.
Clean the skillet, warm it back up and coat it well with a drizzle of the olive oil you drained from the vegetables. Pour the egg-potato-onion mixture into the skillet and smooth it flat.
Cook the tortilla gently. The goal is to allow it to set up without browning. Five minutes later, the tortilla should begin to be set around the sides and be ready to be turned. Turning the tortilla is easy. You’re not flipping it into midair, you’re sliding it into place. First, place a big flat plate over the top of the pan. Lift the pan off the stove with your stronger hand. Put your other hand on the plate and focus on pressing the pan and the plate together as you turn the pan upside down, so the tortilla comes out on the plate. Lift the skillet off the tortilla and set it back on the stove. Add a little more of your reserved oil to the pan, and slide the tortilla from the plate back into the skillet. Cook gently for another five minutes or so, again keeping the fire low so that the tortilla sets up with as little browning as possible.
About this recipe
Note: Save the oil you drained from the vegetables and use it in the days ahead—it’s good for oven-roasting potatoes or drizzling on asparagus, peppers or eggplant for the grill, or for starting a garlicky tomato sauce.
