A Winning Recipe: Tortilla Espagnola

(Updated: I was too busy last week to make this, get the photo, and submit it to NYT, but it's still a winner.  I wrote this post on 9/20.)

The NYT Well Blog is putting together a round-up of readers' potluck recipes and photos, deadline 24 September.  I at first felt like I had nothing to submit, but my friends reminded me that very few recipes are truly original--we're all vamping on someone else's idea.  Besides, the entry form asks for the source--hurray for such explicit protection of intellectual property!

I first thought I'd go with a tart, since I have been the Queen of Tarts this summer.  They are impressive--edible at any temperature and with crusts that often permit them to become finger food, which is something of a win.  But I hesitated, because my tarts are seasonal, and I felt a winning recipe should be for all seasons.

And then I remembered Epicurious's Tortilla Espagnola, which I revised pretty heavily and with great success for preparation in my iron skillet.  Not only is it even more of a finger food than tarts, it creates more individual bits, tastes best at room temperature, and is a very easy prep that leaves you with lovely flavored olive oil to use when you cook.  A win!


Black-Skillet Tortilla Espagnola (adapted from epicurious.com)

Serves 4 to 8 for tapas or lunch

Active time: 1 hour; total time: 1 3/4 hours

This is a low-cost, low-effort, delicious potluck item guaranteed to be a favorite.  It will keep, covered and chilled, for two days, and can be served at any temperature, though room temperature is best.  You can add in vegetables such as red peppers, herbs, and spices as you wish, but I prefer it simple and pure as stated here.  Be sure to reserve the leftover flavored oil for cooking!

  

3/4 cups oil 

1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, peeled and sliced in 1/4" disks (a mandoline is excellent for this)

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt 

6 large eggs

1)  Heat oil in a 10-inch iron skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and add potatoes, onion, and half of salt. Cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender but not colored, about 45 minutes. Drain vegetables in a large colander set over a bowl and cool 5 minutes. Lightly beat eggs in a large bowl. Gently stir in vegetables with 1 tablespoon oil, salt, and pepper to taste.

2)  Return 1 tablespoon oil to skillet and add mixture, pressing potatoes flush with eggs. Cook over low heat, covered, 12 to 15 minutes, or until almost set. Turn off heat and let stand, covered, 15 minutes. Shake skillet gently to make sure tortilla is set on bottom and not sticking to skillet. Invert tortilla onto a large flat plate and slide back into skillet, bottom side up. (Alternatively, especially if top is still loose at this point, slide tortilla onto plate first. Cover it with skillet and invert tortilla back into skillet.) Round edge with a rubber spatula and cook over low heat, covered, 15 minutes more, or until set. Slide tortilla onto a serving plate and serve warm or at room temperature.