Tortilla de Patatas Recipe

Little is more quietly satisfying than being sat at a sun-drenched café anywhere in Spain and being served round after round of glorious, alternating and complementary tapas. Because they are almost always free with drinks, the canny and sophisticated Spanish have found a way to get merry and sort out dinner at the same time for no extra cost. "Should we eat something?" "Yes, order more wine."

The godfather of tapas has to be the tortilla de patatas, or 'Spanish omelette'. Simple but elegant the tortilla can be found gracing café counters and dinner tables from Madrid to Seville. The popularity of this dish is such that competitions are held every year to determine the best in the land, while disputes are known to have broken out between tortilla traditionalists and modernists over the exact recipe and how many times it should be flipped in the pan during cooking.

Most, however, accept that the tortilla should be a balance of potatoes, onions and eggs. It should be about an inch-thick, firm on the outside and just about runny on the inside. And, of course, best enjoyed with friends and other delicious tapas.

Ingredients (serves 6-8)

5-600g firm or waxy potatoes

1 large white onion (thinly diced)

6 eggs

50cl olive oil

Salt and pepper

Preparation (30min)

1. Peel and thinly slice the potatoes (about 0.5cm thick).

2. Heat all the olive oil in a pan on medium-high heat (the pan should be big enough to fit the potatoes and onions). When the oil is hot enough add the potatoes and onions and fry, turning occasionally with a spatula, until potatoes are cooked through (15min). Using the spatula, break the potatoes in the pan into smaller pieces. Place a sieve over a bowl and transfer all the contents, including oil, to drain. Let cool for 10min.

3. In a large (separate) bowl, add the eggs and beat them. Add the potatoes and onions and stir together. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Heat 1 tbs of leftover oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the egg, potato and onion mixture and fry for 2-3 min, spreading the mixture evenly in the pan and using the spatula to separate the edges of the tortilla from the pan.

5. Put a plate over the top of the tortilla big enough to cover the edges of the pan. With one hand on the plate and the other on the pan handle, flip the pan in one motion and set down. Lift the pan: the tortilla should be on the plate, cooked side on top.

6. Heat 1 tbs of leftover olive oil in the non-stick frying pan. Slide the tortilla, uncooked side down, into the pan and cook for a further 2-3 min, using the spatula to separate and round out the edges. Gently shake the pan a couple of times to prevent the bottom sticking.

7. Repeat Step 5. The tortilla should now be cooked on both sides.

8. Set aside tortilla to cool. Pat down any excess olive oil with kitchen paper. Serve best at room temperature.

Tip 1: Make sure the pan is 'non-stick' otherwise the tortilla will not come away during flipping.

Tip 2: Use kitchen gloves during flipping to stop any runaway eggs from burning hands.

Tip 3: If you like eggs cooked through, flip another 1-2 times for a longer cooking process.