Spanish Tortilla (Tortilla Española)

Name: Spanish Tortilla (Tortilla Española)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 people
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 1½ lb Waxy potatoes, peeled and sliced into ⅛-inch (3 mm) rounds; 1 large Yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced; 6 large Large eggs; ½ cup Olive oil; 1½ tsp, divided Fine sea salt; a small handful Flat-leaf parsley, roughly torn

A proper Spanish tortilla is a thick, golden potato omelette, cooked low and slow so the eggs and potatoes meld into something much more than the sum of their parts. The outside should just set while the center stays a little custardy. Don't rush it. You'll need a confident flip, but don't stress if it looks rough coming out of the pan, it will still taste great. Serve it warm, at room temperature, or cold the next day. All three are genuinely good.

Ingredients

1½ lb Waxy potatoes, peeled and sliced into ⅛-inch (3 mm) rounds
1 large Yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
6 large Large eggs
½ cup Olive oil
1½ tsp, divided Fine sea salt
a small handful Flat-leaf parsley, roughly torn

Instructions

Peel 1½ lb (680 g) waxy potatoes and slice them into ⅛-inch (3 mm) rounds. Try to keep them even so they cook at the same rate. Halve and thinly slice 1 large yellow onion.
Pour ½ cup (120 ml) olive oil into your 10-inch non-stick skillet and set it over medium-low heat. Add the sliced potatoes and onions in more or less alternating layers, then season with 1 tsp of the sea salt. The oil should come about halfway up the potatoes. You're not deep-frying here, you're slow-poaching them in oil.
Cook the potatoes and onions over medium-low heat, turning them gently every few minutes with a slotted spoon or spatula, for about 25 minutes. They should be completely tender and yielding when pressed, with no resistance, but not falling apart or browning. Adjust the heat down if anything starts to color. This slow confiting is what gives the tortilla its texture.
While the potatoes cook, crack 6 large eggs into your large mixing bowl and beat them well with a fork or whisk until the yolks and whites are fully combined. Season with the remaining ½ tsp sea salt.
Once the potatoes and onions are tender, use a slotted spoon to transfer them into the beaten eggs, leaving most of the oil behind in the pan. Reserve the oil. Fold the potato and onion mixture gently into the eggs so everything is well coated. Let this sit for 10 minutes. The egg will start to set slightly around the potatoes, which helps the tortilla hold together.
Return 2 tablespoons of the reserved cooking oil to the skillet and heat it over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, pour in the egg-and-potato mixture and spread it into an even layer. Turn the heat down to medium-low immediately. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the edges are set and opaque and the top still looks wet and jiggly in the center.
Now for the flip. Place a large flat plate or lid firmly over the pan. In one confident move, flip the skillet and plate together so the tortilla lands on the plate, cooked side up. Slide it back into the pan, raw side down. Cook for another 4 to 5 minutes until the underside feels set when you press it gently, and a knife inserted in the center comes out with just a little clinging egg rather than liquid. You want the center slightly soft, not bone dry.
Slide the tortilla onto a cutting board or serving plate and leave it to rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting. It firms up nicely as it cools. Scatter over a handful of roughly torn flat-leaf parsley if you like, and cut into wedges.