Tortilla

Tortilla

Although they both have the same name, Spanish and Mexican tortillas are fundamentally different when it comes to ingredients, preparation and use.

The Spanish tortilla is essentially an omelette with potatoes that is either fried on both sides or baked in the oven. In contrast, Mexican tortillas are thin, round flatbreads made of a special maize flour (masa harina) and water, cooked with or without fat on a hot plate or in a pan. Because there is a wide range of maize varieties in Mexico, it is possible to see blue-violet tortillas alongside the more common pale yellow ones. The only thing that the two tortillas have in common is their name, which literally translates as “little cake” or “little flatbread”.

While Spanish tortillas – regularly embellished with vegetables such as onion, peppers, tomatoes, chillies and herbs – are often served as an accompaniment, Mexican tortillas are the basis for countless simple to sophisticated finger food dishes. If they’re filled with vegetables, cheese, meat or fish and rolled up, they’re known as burritos. Fold them around a filling and then fry or bake them, and they become tostadas.

Tortilla española

Ingredients (to serve 4-6 people):

600 g waxy potatoes (cooked and peeled, prepared the day before), 5 eggs (medium), 50 g crème fraîche, salt, freshly ground pepper, butter to grease the tin; plus 1 baking tin, 30 cm Ø

Preparation:

1. Cut the potatoes into thin slices. Whisk the eggs with the crème fraîche.
2. Place the sliced potatoes in a large bowl with the eggs and crème fraîche and mix well. Season generously with salt and pepper. Grease a baking tin with butter, pour in the potato mixture and press flat.
3. Bake the tortilla in the oven for 25-30 minutes at 140° C (Moisture Plus with an automatic steam boost) or at 160° C top/bottom heat on the 2nd shelf level from the bottom. Leave the tortilla to cool until just warm.