Tortilla de Patata / Spanish Potato Omelet

HISTORY & INTERESTING FACTS

The word tortilla derives from torta—Spanish for a small cake. Often confused with a simple egg omelette, this Spanish classic is known as Tortilla de Patatas or Tortilla Española, though its true origins remain delightfully contested.

In the early 17th century, Francisco Martínez Montiño, head chef to the Hapsburg Kings, documented a recipe for Tortilla de Cartuja—a creation of Carthusian monks combining eggs and cream. Yet the potato-forward version we know today emerged quite differently. In 1817, an anonymous letter to the Spanish Parliament told of a farmer's wife who crafted this ingenious dish for military officers using whatever ingredients lay at hand.

From that moment, the potato tortilla took root. Across Spain's regions, cooks adapted it with local ingredients and techniques, each adding their own signature. For this recipe, I've stayed true to the classic form, with just a whisper of onion to deepen the flavour.

I've also included a modern twist—a tortilla hack inspired by the visionary Catalan chef Ferran Adrià. This playful variation strips away tradition's complexity, making the dish approachable for even the most hesitant cook.

And if you'd rather see it made than read about it, there's a video waiting for you here within our Winery Kitchen channel.

Bon Profit! Raquel x

INGREDIENTS and EQUIPMENT

• 1 large brown onion, sliced using mandolin/knife (about 1/2 cm thick)
• 8 small/4 large washed potatoes - around 800 g (peeled, or leave unpeeled), sliced using mandolin/knife (about 1/2 cm thick)
• 6 eggs (at room temperature)
• 400 mL olive oil

You will need 2 extra tablespoons of oil for frying the tortilla itself.

• 1 medium saucepan or deep frypan (I use a wok) You'll need a deep pan - not too wide - to cook the potato in allowing the oil to over the potato during cooking.
• Slotted spoon
• 1 medium-large bowl
• Whisk
• 30 cm frypan (preferably non-stick)
• Dinner Plate that extends a little over the edges of the 30cm frypan for covering and flipping
• Over mitts for heat protection when flipping frypan
• Spatula or butter knife

METHOD

Part 1: Fry onion and potato

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan or deep frypan over medium-high heat.
2. Salt sliced onion lightly.
3. When oil starts to smoke, add onion and cook for 1–2 minutes until soft but not browned.
4. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain.
5. Salt sliced potato with 2 tsp salt.
6. Reheat oil, then add potato. Reduce heat to low and cook for 8–10 minutes until cooked but still pale.
7. Remove potato with a slotted spoon and drain with the onion.
8. Turn off heat and cool vegetables for 5 minutes.

Part 2: Fry tortilla

1. Whisk eggs with 1 tsp salt until frothy.
2. Add cooled potato and onion and mix gently.
3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a 30 cm non-stick frypan over low heat.
4. Add mixture and spread evenly.
5. Cook for 3–5 minutes until browned underneath.
6. Remove from heat, cover with a plate and carefully flip using oven mitts.
7. Add another tbsp oil to the pan and slide tortilla back in.
8. Tuck in sides and cook for another 3–5 minutes.
9. Flip again onto a plate and rest for 10–15 minutes before cutting.

TIPS, CHEATS & TROUBLESHOOTING

If the eggs scrambled when mixing with potato and onion:  

You did not let the potato and onion mixture cool enough and the vegetables were too hot when added to the eggs, which caused the eggs to start scrambling. 

If egg is too runny when you cut into tortilla:

Although cooked, the egg at the centre of the paella will always be a little runny. It can be a matter of taste though whether you want this or not. If you prefer less a less runny consistency, use 5 eggs not 6.

There are several other reasons for too much runniness however. These include: Cooking time was not sufficient, potato and onion mixture was left too cool for too long reducing the heat when combining ingredients with the egg mixture OR eggs were cold (out of fridge) when used.

If my tortilla is ruined when I add it back to frypan or after flipping:  

Firstly, don't worry ... it will still taste delicious! I'm guessing though, your pan is not very non-stick and you may have needed to oil the pan and swirl the oil evenly around the base of the pan before adding the tortilla mixture for the first time.

If you're not confident with flipping, or you're not willing to risk it, don't worry there is a way out!

1. MAKE SURE you use an oven safe frypan for Part 2
2. At the beginning of Step 1 (Part 2) turn the grill on to 200 degrees celsius (180 degrees celsius if fan-forced)
3. At the end of Step 6 (Part 2), turn the burner off and place the frypan under the grill for 3-5 mins until brown on top. Turn off grill, take pan out and let omelet cool slightly in pan.
4. You will still need to get your tortilla out of the pan by flipping it so that the 'pretty' side is showing, but you can do this using a plate and oven mitts once the pan has cooled a little.

RECIPE VARIATION Potato and Tuna Tortilla:

When using tuna, do not add salt to eggs.

Drain a 185g can of tuna (in brine/in olive oil) and break pieces up in a bowl before adding tuna to egg mixture at the end of Step 1 (Part 2). Continue recipe as per remaining steps.

RECIPE VARIATION Egg-free Tortilla (vegan friendly):

Substitute the eggs with –

• 600 g firm tofu
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp each of chopped chives and basil

REPLACE ENTIRE (Part 2) METHOD above:

• Step 1 (Part 2):
• Turn oven on to 180 degrees celsius.
• Step 2 (Part 2):
• Line bottom of 20 cm cake tin with baking paper.
• Step 3 (Part 2):
• In a blender, blitz tofu, 1 tsp cornstarch and nutritional yeast.
• Step 4 (Part 2):
• In a medium-large bowl, mix together tofu, potato and onion (cooked in Part 1) and chives and basil.
• Step 5 (Part 2):
• Pour contents of bowl into cake tin and smooth out top with a spatula.
• Step 6 (Part 2):
• Place cake tin into oven and bake for 35 mins (check after 20 mins, if browning to much on top, cover with foil and bake for remaining time)
• Step 7 (Part 2):
• Remove from oven and leave tortilla in tin for 5 mins before serving.

This plant-based dish is best served hot or warm. Cut into quarters and serve a slice to each person with a lovely crisp green salad and some tomato relish (if desired).

RECIPE HACK Potato Chip Tortilla (packaged crisps)

Serves: 4 adults as a 'tapa' snack

INGREDIENTS and EQUIPMENT

• 175 g packet of plain salted chips
• 6 eggs (at room temperature) - you will need ALL 6 eggs for this recipe for chips to absorb
• 1/4 cup of milk
• 1 small brown onion, (diced and sautéed with a tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt) - adding onion is optional

You will need 1-2 tbsp of oil for frying.

• 1 medium-large bowl
• Whisk
• 15 cm frypan (preferably non-stick)
• Dinner Plate that extends a little over the edges of the 15 cm frypan for covering and flipping
• Over mitts for heat protection when flipping frypan
• Spatula or butter knife

METHOD

1. Crack eggs into a medium-large bowl, add milk, 1 tsp salt and onion (if using) - whisk mixture until frothy (30 secs).
2. Add all potato chips to bowl and combine until chips are all coated in egg.
3. Leave to absorb for 10 mins.
4. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a 15 cm frypan over low-medium heat.
5. Tip the combined potato and egg mixture gently into pan and push out towards edges so that mixture covers the pan evenly and the top is fairly even and flat.
6. Let cook for ~3 mins. I check underneath by gently folding side of the omelet with a butter knife to see how brown it is. Turn heat down if you think it is too hot.
7. Once bottom has browned enough, remove pan from heat.
8. Carefully place a plate over the top of the frypan and then USING OVEN MITTS so as not to burn yourself, grab the frypan and the plate like you're holding a burger and flip them so the plate is now underneath with the frypan on top, and the omelet now rests on the plate beneath.
9. Return the frypan to the stove top to reheat and add the second tbsp oil to pan.
10. Using a knife or spatula to help push, slowly slide the omelet back into the frypan from the plate.
11. Tuck in the sides of the omelet down into the frypan.
12. Leave to cook on low heat for another 3 minutes.
13. Once bottom is lightly browned, remove pan from stove and turn off burner.
14. Again, carefully place a plate over the top of the frypan and then USING OVEN MITTS so as not to burn yourself, repeat the flipping process so that the cooked omelet is once again on the plate.
15. Leave omelet to rest and finish cooking. Do not cut into omelet for at least 5 mins.

IMPORTANT to note: This dish is best served immediately, if left to cool this omelet, unlike the classic tortilla, will lose its moisture and dry out - not nice! 

Cut tortilla into quarters and serve a slice to each person with good crusty bread and some tomato relish (if desired) as an afternoon tapa with a glass of wine - with an egg dish like this, our rosé is best.

WINE MATCHING & SERVING SUGGESTIONS