Tapas are such a fun way to dine, allowing you to share your meal with others and focus on the experience. Tapas have evolved through Spanish history by incorporating new ingredients and influences. Tomatoes, sweet and chili peppers, corn and potatoes, that are easily grown in Spain’s current microclimates, are common ingredients used. The traditional Tortilla Espanola, my favorite tapas, has nothing to do with what we know as the soft, thin flatbread called a tortilla. This Tortilla is actually a potato omelet of sorts that can also contain additional ingredients.
For my version of this delightful dish, I have added fresh leeks, spinach and some canned piquillo peppers. Piquillo peppers are roasted over embers, which gives them a distinct sweet, spicy flavour, more akin to bell peppers than chilli peppers, despite their small size. They are then peeled and de-seeded by hand, before being packed into jars or tins for sale. As a tapas on their own, Piquillo peppers are often stuffed with meat, seafood, or cheese.
To get the potatoes evenly sliced and thin enough to cook through without burning, it is helpful to use a mandoline. There are several different types of mandolins made and you can usually find them at any shop that sells kitchen tools. (You can find one in my Amazon.com aStore on my site) The potatoes for this recipe are cooked in 3/4 cup of olive oil to ensure that they are done to perfection without burning. However, they are removed from the oil, leaving most of it behind, when creating the final dish.
Served as a main entree, the Tortilla Espanola goes well with a side salad of most any type. Here I am serving it with a Snap Pea and Radish Salad with tahini dressing. (Stay posted for the recipe…) Simple, fresh and light making just the right accompaniment for this dish.
Tortilla Espanola with Harissa Aioli
Serves 6-8 main entree servings or 12 tapas servings
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled and sliced into 1/8″ thick slices using a mandoline
- 5 canned piquillo peppers, seeded and sliced
- 1 cup spinach leaves, stemmed and chopped into 2″ pieces
- 3 leeks, white and light green parts only – sliced thinly
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 6 eggs
- dash red pepper
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 tablespoons harissa paste, or to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice
- Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet to medium. Add half of the potatoes, spreading them evenly over the surface and cook for about 15 minutes or until barely tender, being careful not to let the potatoes burn. Using a slotted spoon, remove the potatoes to a dish and set aside. Repeat the process with the rest of the potatoes. Reserve the oil in the pan.
- In a 10″ non-stick skillet, take 1 tablespoon of reserved oil and heat to medium. Add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally until tender and lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Add the spinach and stir until lightly wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- In a large bowl, add the eggs and beat with a whisk. Add the leek-spinach mixture, piquillo peppers, cilantro, salt and peppers and mix gently. Add the cooked potatoes and mix, being as careful as possible not to break the potatoes.
- Add another tablespoon of the reserved oil into the non-stick skillet and heat to medium. Pour in the egg mixture and gently cook until the sides have started to set and the bottom has turned golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Loosen the sides with a spatula if needed, and slide the tortilla onto a large plate. Turn the skillet upside down and on top of the tortilla on the plate and flip them both so that the tortilla is now in the pan. Return the pan to the stove and cook until it is set in the center, about 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the pan sit for 2 minutes.
- Slide the tortilla onto a plate to serve. It is best eaten at slightly warm or room temperature.If eating as a main course, cut into 6-8 pie slices. Serve with harissa aioli.
- Mix the aioli ingredients together. Season to taste. (It is best made a few hours ahead so the flavors have time to meld together)
- This can also be cut into small portions for tapas to serve up to 12 people.
- If you don’t have harissa paste you can substitute Sriracha sauce, but use less as it is much hotter.
(click here) for printable recipe
Comment on “My Version of my favorite Spanish Tapas – Tortilla Espanola!”
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This sounds totally interesting and new to me! Thanks I will attempt it someday!