Spanish omelette
A Spanish omelette or Spanish tortilla is a traditional dish from Spain, celebrated as one of the most popular dishes of the Spanish cuisine. It is an omelette made with eggs and potatoes, usually including onion. It is often served at room temperature as a tapa.
History
The first reference to the tortilla in Spanish is found in a Navarrese document, as an anonymous "mousehole memorial" addressed to the court of Navarre in 1817. It explains the sparse conditions of Navarre's farmers in contrast with those in Pamplona and La Ribera. After listing the sparse food eaten by highlanders, the next quote follows: "…two to three eggs in tortilla for 5 or 6 as our women know how to make it big and thick with fewer eggs, mixing potatoes, breadcrumbs or whatever."According to legend, during the 1835 siege of Bilbao, Carlist General Tomás de Zumalacárregui invented the tortilla de patatas as an easy, fast and nutritious dish to satisfy the scarcities of the Carlist army. Although it remains unknown whether this is true, it appears the tortilla started to spread during the early Carlist Wars.
Another tale is that the recipe was learnt by Spanish prisoners captured after the Battle of Montes Claros during the Portuguese Restoration War in 1665. After the Portuguese victory, more than 6,000 Spanish soldiers were kept in captivity for 3 years until the 1668 Treaty of Lisbon was signed. Upon their release, these prisoners brought part of the culture of Alentejo to Spain, including many recipes, which featured a potato egg pie that evolved into the modern version of “tortilla”.
Nomenclature
The word tortilla, which is the diminutive form of torta, literally means 'small cake' or 'small pie'. In European Spanish and in some variants of Latin American Spanish, it means omelette. A potato omelette is a tortilla de patatas or papas.As the dish has gained international popularity, and perhaps to distinguish it from the thin flatbread made out of wheat or maize popular in Mexico and Central America, the española or 'Spanish' naming gained traction. As such, 'Spanish omelette' or 'Spanish tortilla' are its common names in English, while tortilla española is the formally accepted name even within the peninsula. In Spain, an omelette is known as tortilla francesa to distinguish it from the local potato version.
The preparation is also known by other names in the languages of Spain; ; ; /pataques;.
Consumption and traditional recipe
The Spanish omelette is widely available in Spain, and prepared in some Spanish-speaking countries.The two main options are either with or without onion. The addition of onion is the cause of an unresolved dispute, pitting concebollistas against sincebollistas. It may be related to the tenderness of the local varieties of potato. Restaurateurs are expected to say whether their tortilla has onion, and industrial producers market both options.
File:Tortilla de patata típica de Betanzos.jpg|thumb|upright|The runny "Betanzos" omelette, originally from Galicia. They are normally made without onion, and rely heavily on the careful cooking of the potato.
The most common way to cook a Spanish omelette is as follows:
- The potatoes, ideally a starchy variety, are cut into thin slices or small dice.
- Among Spanish potato crops, one of the most highly regarded varieties is the Galicia potato. Its texture and flavor make it unique. In Galicia, locally grown potatoes, especially the Kennebec variety with a firm texture and balanced starch, are considered ideal for Spanish omelets. They are sometimes prepared with Galician chorizo as a regional variation.
- They are then seasoned and gently simmered in vegetable oil, traditionally olive oil, with sliced onions added at this stage if used. These ingredients are stirred at a moderate temperature until they are soft but not brown.
- The potatoes, and onions, if included, are then drained and mixed with whisked eggs.
- This mixture is then returned to the pan and slowly cooked.
- A trick to prevent the egg from curdling is to let the potato cool after frying it. This way it won't mix while hot and the egg won't curdle before it reaches the pan.
- Once the eggs are cooked on one side, the omelette is turned over to cook the other side, often using a plate placed over the mixture so the pan can be inverted.