The "mean" truffle tortilla recipe.

Recipes

May 5

Written By

Wherever we go, I try to verse myself into the local cuisine. In Spain, I HAD to try my hand at making a "tortilla de patata", which is pretty much the national dish down here.With only a few ingredients (potatoes, onions and eggs, essentially) the "tortilla de patata" looks easy to cook but don't let yourself be fooled! (as I did)It took me at least 5 trials before I mastered the "tortilla-technique" and got a perfect, round, cake looking, crispy on the outside but soft in the inside, golden tortilla.The tortilla de patata is perfect boat food: It's cheap, the ingredients are easy to find and it makes enough leftovers that you have lunches covered for a few days. It does take a little time to cook, but the results are worth the effort!In this recipe, I share with you the secrets of the "mean" tortilla, to which I added truffle (because everything is better with truffle isn't it ;) ).My version of the "Tortilla de patata" may not be 100% according to Spanish standards, but it is nonetheless delicious!

Ingredients:

7 medium potatoes (choose a variety that fries well)
1 big onion
7 medium/large eggs
1/3 cup olive oil
1 or 2 cloves of garlic (depends on how much you like garlic)
2-3 tablespoons of truffle salsa (3,5€ at Mercadona or Carrefour if you live in Spain!)
1 teaspoon of truffle salt
Pepper (to taste)
1 tablespoon of truffle oil (optional)

How to:

Peel the onion and chop it into rough slices. Peel the potatoes and cut them into small slices.

Share the trouble of the chore with the captain, or designate a cookie for the task (that's how I do it ;))Small slices will make it easier for the potatoes to fry evenly, and for the tortilla to "hold it together" once the eggs are added.Pro-tip from Ryan: chopping onions is easier with sunglasses on!2. In a nice deep skillet Fry the onion on medium heat in the 1/3 to 1/2 cup of olive oil. Once the onion is soft and transparent, add your slices of potatoes. All of them. BAM. Cover, and stir now and then to ensure that the potatoes fry evenly.3. When the potatoes start to get golden, add your truffle salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon of truffle salsa and your garlic clove(s). 4. Let the potatoes and onion fry in the covered skillet while stirring every now and then until they are brown and soft. This should take around 15 to 20 minutes.5. When the potatoes and onions are nicely fried, remove them from the heat and place them into a bowl where they can cool off for 20 minutes. In the meantime, beat your eggs in a bowl, with the other tablespoon of truffle salsa and the tablespoon of truffle oil.6. Once the potatoes and onions are cooler, put them back into the skillet and pour the eggs on top. Poke with a wooden spoon to ensure that the egg mixture goes everywhere. Cover and cook on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until the bottom of the tortilla, gets a golden color and the omelet can slide of the skillet easily.You can poke the omelet with your wooden spoon in the more "liquidy" parts of the tortilla to ensure it all cooks evenly.7. Remove from the skillet. This is where tortilla cooking gets tricky. Once most of your tortilla feels solid, slide it off the skillet onto a place, about the same size of your skillet's bottom (the size of the dish you are putting your tortilla on matters at this point) 8. Flip the tortilla back in the skillet. Hold the plate containing the tortilla in one hand and your skillet in the other. Place the skillet on top of the plate and flip it as quick as you can!Tortilla in one hand, skillet in the other!Put the skillet on top of the tortilla....Flip it, and remove the plate once the tortilla is back on the stove!If at this point, your tortilla looks like this, you have won! ;)9. Cover and let cook for another 10 minutes on very low it until the bottom also has this nice golden color.10. EAT. Yes, it is better the next day, but hey, you've worked hard at it and it is delicious. I love my truffle tortilla for lunch with a glass of Albariño (Spanish white wine), some cured ham and some fried pimiento de Padrón.I have made truffle tortilla while at the marina, at anchorage, under way upwind... some settings are more challenging than others, but it is always delicious!