Tortilla de patatas para el camino
A thick omelette of potatoes confit in olive oil and melted onion, golden on both sides and soft in the centre. Cut into wedges, it travels perfectly.
A thick omelette of potatoes confit in olive oil and melted onion, golden on both sides and soft in the centre. Cut into wedges, it travels perfectly.
When I take the night train to Barcelona, I never trust the dining car: I prepare a *tortilla de patatas* the night before and cut it into quarters in my *fiambrera*. The eternal debate — with or without onion — I settle in favour of onion, gently melted, and I leave it runny in the centre, never dry. Believe me, sharing a wedge of cold tortilla with a colleague on the platform is worth all the conferences in the world.
- •Potatoes — a few, thinly sliced (base)
- •Onion — 1 (sweetness)
- •Eggs — depending on size (binder)
- •Olive oil — generously, for confit (cooking)
- •Salt — to taste (seasoning)
Tortilla de patatas para el camino
A thick omelette of potatoes confit in olive oil and melted onion, golden on both sides and soft in the centre. Cut into wedges, it travels perfectly.
Why this dish? The potato omelette is THE Spanish travel food: you slip it into a *fiambrera* (airtight container) for the train or plane. Ana, who shuttles between the campuses of Paris, Barcelona, and Madrid, takes it to conferences — it's eaten cold, by hand, and keeps for hours.
When I take the night train to Barcelona, I never trust the dining car: I prepare a *tortilla de patatas* the night before and cut it into quarters in my *fiambrera*. The eternal debate — with or without onion — I settle in favour of onion, gently melted, and I leave it runny in the centre, never dry. Believe me, sharing a wedge of cold tortilla with a colleague on the platform is worth all the conferences in the world.
Ingredients (period version)
- Potatoes — a few, thinly sliced (base)
- Onion — 1 (sweetness)
- Eggs — depending on size (binder)
- Olive oil — generously, for confit (cooking)
- Salt — to taste (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Potatoes — 500 g (base)
- Onion — 1 medium (sweetness)
- Eggs — 5 (binder)
- Extra virgin olive oil — 250 ml (for confit) (cooking)
- Fine salt — 1 tsp (seasoning)
Method
- Peel and slice the potatoes thinly; slice the onion.
- Gently confit them in olive oil over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, without browning: they should be tender. Drain (the oil can be reused).
- Beat the eggs with salt, then fold in the potatoes and onion; let rest for 5 minutes.
- Pour into a frying pan with a drizzle of oil, cook for 4 minutes over medium heat, then flip onto a plate and slide back into the pan to cook another 3 minutes: the centre stays soft.
- Let it cool slightly, cut into wedges, and pack in an airtight container for the journey.
How it was made : The *tortilla de patatas* is documented as early as the early 19th century in Spain, when the potato — imported from the Andes after 1492 — became a popular staple. Cheap, filling, and portable, it quickly became the snack of travellers and workers.
The contemporary twist : The 'pincho' version: squares speared with a toothpick, perfect for nibbling during a conference poster session.
Sources : Simone Ortega, 1080 recetas de cocina, Alianza Editorial
Ana García · Charactorium
