i vowed that this year would be the year i learned how to really cook eggs — from the plain to the fancy.  i’ve never been particularly good, bad, or adventurous with eggs in the past & have been hampered by my stainless steel pan, which i otherwise love.  but my cooking class combined with the audio book of julie & julia made me think that eggs at least are an area that is well within my ability to master.

so to that end, i went out & bought a nonstick pan (the scanpan from sur la table, theoretically slightly less carcinogenic than the usual nonstick), made a list of recipes/preparations, & am pleased to announce my first success — the spanish tortilla.

spanish tortilla

ingredients

  • 10 ounces red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1/3-inch pieces
  • 8 large eggs
  • 4 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano (do not use dried oregano like i did the first time, because this will give the entire dish a greyish coloring that is not especially appetizing)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped

preparation

position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. cook potatoes in large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, about 6 minutes. drain and cool.

whisk eggs and next 5 ingredients in large bowl until well blended. mix in potatoes. heat oil in large ovenproof nonstick skillet over high heat. add onion; sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. reduce heat to medium. add egg mixture; cook 3 minutes, occasionally stirring egg from sides of skillet. place skillet in oven and bake eggs until set in center and no longer wet on top, about 20 minutes.

remove tortilla from oven. immediately place skillet on cold wet kitchen towel to prevent further cooking. let stand 2 minutes. run spatula around edge of skillet and under tortilla. lift skillet and tilt, sliding tortilla onto platter. serve warm or at room temperature. cut into wedges.

i liked it plain but zach preferred adding some hot sauce.  romesco sauce would probably be a good addition. served with salad & soup.