How to make the perfect Tortilla Patata

Visit any good tapas bar in Spain, or any of the country’s casual restaurants and eateries, and you’re sure to come across Tortilla Patata. Known by much of the world as ‘Spanish Omelette’, this eggy potato dish is a beautiful example of a simple thing, done very well indeed.

It’s one of those dishes that every Spaniard knows how to cook perfectly, and they’ll think nothing of quickly whipping one up for a light lunch with friends, or a picnic in the park. Once you learn how to make it for yourself, you’ll quickly see what the fuss is about, and before long you’ll be adding it to your weekend routine.

This recipe is the classic, basic version - you’re welcome to add extra ingredients as you see fit. Just don’t tell your Spanish friends you’re messing with one of their national dishes, as you’ll be asking for a fight!

What you'll need:

• Five hundred grams of good quality, small new potatoes
• One hundred and fifty ml of olive oil
• One large white onion, finely chopped
• Three tablespoons of chopped, flat leaf parsley
• Six of the best eggs you can get

Method

First

Peel your potatoes or just leave the skins on - whichever you prefer or can be bothered with. Both versions are perfectly acceptable. Cut them up into nice, thick slices, and set aside.

Second

Heat your oil in a large, heavy bottomed frying pan. Add your sliced potatoes and chopped onion, and gently stew the whole lot, partially covered, for about thirty minutes or so. You’ll want to stir them regularly, until the potatoes are nice and soft, but not falling apart. Strain the cooked potatoes and onion through a colander, put into a bowl, and put to one side. You can save the oil for later.

Third

Beat the eggs into a medium bowl, and season well. Take your beaten eggs, and stir them into the large bowl with the potatoes and onion. Add the parsley, and give it a good mix.

Fourth

Now take a smaller pan, and heat up some of the strained oil (but not too much). Tip the egg and everything else into the pan, and cook over a steady, moderate heat. Use your favourite spatula to shape the omelette into a nice, fat cushion shape.

Fifth

When it has almost set, hold a plate over the top of the pan, and invert the whole lot so you can slide the omelette back in and cook the other side for a couple of minutes. Flip it in the same way twice more, and cook each side for a couple more minutes each time. Slide onto a plate, and allow to cool down for ten minutes before serving. It’s delicious hot and cold, so don’t worry if you can’t eat it all at once!

Wine pairing for Tortilla Patata

This Tortilla Patata recipe is the epitome of light, casual Spanish cooking. It’s typically eaten as part of a picnic, or as a tapas dish, and as such, needs a great, refreshing outdoorsy-type wine to go with it.

The obvious choice would be an Albarino, the great Spanish white wine which reminds me of sea breezes and zesty fruit, but it would also go wonderfully with something a bit more boisterous like a white Rioja, or a great dry rosé wine, which would always be my number one recommendation for a picnic on a sunny day!

There you have it -- an easy recipe for the ubiquitous Spanish omelette!

After you test out this classic dish, know which wines fit you best! Give it a go and take our wine palate quiz below to know the 3 types of wine that you should try next.

Next up: Take our Wine Palate Quiz and match your personal tastes to your top three wine types