Tortilla Espanola (Spanish Tortilla)

This is one of the most popular foods eaten in Spain, it was the first thing I was served by a Spaniard when I lived there. Most of the tortillas I had were made with the standard egg and potato indredients, but sometimes they were made with mushrooms, eggplant and even spinach. So, keep those variations in mind. The great thing about this dish is that it is CHEAP and uses items many of us always have on hand, eggs, potatoes, onion, garlic and olive oil. This dish takes about 45 minutes total to prepare, some of that is cooking time for the potatoes, which is when I prepare the rest of the meal. This goes very well with a marinated tomato and cucumber salad and a fresh baguette. Fresh fruit makes a great dessert, especially for a summer meal. And this is exactly how the spaniards do it.

Ingredients:
4-5 medium potatoes
6 eggs
Salt
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
Olive Oil

Method:
Start by peeling and dicing the potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes. I like to boil the potatoes to cook them, until they are just tender, you don't want them mushy or waterlogged. Just for the record, this is a deviation, most Spaniards fry the potatoes with the onion and garlic in a frying pan first, I just prefer the boiling method. While the potatoes are cooking, do two different things. First, crack the eggs open into a large bowl and use a fork or whisk to get them light and frothy, adding about 1/4 tsp. of salt. Now this is another trick that some spaniards do, they add a tablespoon of Baking Powder into the eggs, to make them fluffier. Second, slice the onion into thin slivers and mince the garlic. Heat a few teaspoons of olive oil in a frying pan, add the onion and cook until lightly caramelized. Add the garlic and cook just a bit longer, until garlic appears golden.

Add the onions and garlic into the eggs and mix lightly.
When the potatoes are done cooking, drain them well and add them to the egg mixture. Stir just a few times then put everything into the frying pan used for the onions and cook over medium heat while stirring for a few minutes until the egg starts to set.

Then you want to let the tortilla cook undisturbed for a few minutes. Make sure the bottom isn't burning. After a few minutes it is time to turn the tortilla - it should stick together now. I like to get a plate and place it on top of the frying pan, then turn the frying pan upside down so that the tortilla lands on the plate.

The tortilla should now be able to slide off the plate and back into the frying pan, uncooked side down, to finish cooking.

Cook for a few more minutes, keep checking to make sure that it isn't burning on the bottom. You might need to flip this one or two more times until it looks done (should have a golden brown color to it). And you want to make sure the center is cooked through. If you do flip the tortilla a few more times, use a clean plate so that you don't get raw egg on the cooked part of the tortilla - just to be on the cautious side.

I like to serve this in wedges with mayonaisse, yes, that is how the spaniards eat it. If any of you prefer to use ketchup, please don't tell me :) It can be served hot or cold, and can be the main dish or just part of an appetizer bar (have you heard of tapas?). This dish will serve a family of 5 easily.