[CH] Spanish potato tortillas
Tara Deen (tara@es.usyd.edu.au)
Tue, 28 Mar 2000 10:30:28 +1000
Hi there fellow CH-ers:
I am just back from the frozen wastes of the Southern Ocean and enjoying
cooking again after 6 weeks stuck on a boat eating someone else's food.
Suprisingly, my chillies have survived my husband's tender neglect and
the possums while I was away! Must work in the field more often.
I wanted to share with you one of my favourite brunch dishes. It's the
first thing I cooked when I got home. The recipe will seem kinda long,
but these can be fantastic or really ordinary and it's all in the
cooking. Best prepared the night before, then cooked the next day.
Spanish Potato Tortillas
500g good frying potatoes
1 onion
2 to 3 eggs (free range, of course)
salt, pepper
chilli powder
1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil
Peel and thinly slice both potatoes and onion. Heat the oil in a pan
over a medium-low heat (a wok is ideal for this, or use any large
frypan), and add the potatoes and onion slices in alternate layers. fry
slowly, turning occasionally. The object is to cook the potatoes without
browning them too much. Don't worry if they break up a bit at this
stage.
When potatoes are done, carefully (so as not to splash any oil) out into
a sieve placed over a bowl, to catch the oil, and drain. The potatoes
will absorb quite a bit of the oil in the cooking (but if you use good
quality olive oil, it's just so much better for you!). Save the oil for
tomorrow. Put the potatoes and onions in a bowl, and mix in the eggs and
seasonings, with chilli powder to taste. You can use fresh chillies, but
I find that powder gives a more even heat in this dish. At this point
you can continue to cook it, but if you now seal the bowl and leave it
in the fridge overnight, the starch in the potato will thicken the egg
and make for a richer tortilla tomorrow.
The next day, heat some reserved oil in a frypan or wok over med-high
heat and add potato mix. This will seal immediately. Turn heat to low,
and cook until 1/2 to 2/3 cooked through (20 mins or so). Carefully tip
out onto plate. Reheat the pan over med-high heat and invert the
tortilla, reducing heat to low. Wimps can leave it in the pan and grill
the top. So long as you don't overcook it (it'll become too dry) it will
be delicious.
This is great with bacon and fried tomatoes, or even sausage for brunch.
Goes well with Worcestershire sauce or (my husband's favourite) tomato
and jalapeno sauce. Serves 4 with sides, or 2 really hungry people with
just enough left over for a mid-morning snack. Be warned: very more-ish!
Happy chilli-ing!
Tara
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______________________________________________________
Tara Deen
School of Earth Sciences
Division of Geology and Geophysics
Building FO5
University of Sydney NSW 2006
Phone: 61-2-9351 4271
Fax: 61-2-9351 0184
email: tara@es.usyd.edu.au
______________________________________________________