Tortilla Española

Ingredients

• 700 g waxy potatoes, peeled and sliced 3 mm thick
• 1 large onion, halved and finely sliced
• 400 ml olive oil, for confiting
• 6 large eggs
• salt, to taste

Method

1. Poach the potatoes

   Put the potato and onion in a pan with enough olive oil to cover, and set over a low heat. This is a confit, not a fry — the oil should barely tremble. The potatoes are ready when a slice crushes under no pressure at all.

   25 min

2. Drain

   Tip everything into a sieve set over a bowl and let it drain properly. Keep the oil: it is now flavoured, and it will keep in a jar for weeks. Season the potatoes while they are still warm.

3. Combine and rest

   Beat the eggs with a good pinch of salt, then fold in the warm potato and onion. Leave it to sit for ten minutes. The potato absorbs some of the egg, which is what binds the tortilla rather than leaving layers that slide apart.

   10 min

4. Set the base

   Heat a tablespoon of the reserved oil in a 22 cm non-stick or well-seasoned pan over a medium-low heat. Pour in the mixture, flatten the top, and draw the edges in with a spatula for the first minute to build a rounded side.

   6 min

5. Flip

   When the edges are set and the centre still wobbles, slide it onto a plate, invert the pan over it and turn the whole thing over in one committed movement. Hesitating is what breaks a tortilla.

6. Finish and rest

   Cook for another three or four minutes — the middle should stay just short of firm, jugosa, which is the whole point of a good tortilla. Rest for at least ten minutes before cutting, or serve at room temperature.

   10 min