Traditional Spanish omelette and its healthy variations

This omelette is undoubtedly the most traditional dish in Spain, and as irrefutable proof of it, it’s also called “Spanish omelette”. Just eggs, potatoes, extra virgin olive oil and salt are only needed for this recipe, eventually also an onion if desired. Along its simplicity, few tricks are enough to obtain the best results in any of the versions here suggested.

Before suggesting any kind of changes or adaptations to the recipe, it’s always good to know the original method.

Requirements:

For all recipes of any kind of tortilla use a deep enough pan, and make sure to have a plate which can cover it completely. That will be needed for turning the tortilla safely.

Traditional recipe:

Heat enough olive oil to cover all the potatoes in a deep saucepan.

Peel the potatoes, cut them in half and then crosswise into slices no more than half a cm thick.

When the oil is hot enough but not smoking, carefully add the potatoes, salt them slightly and brown them over moderately high heat until they are golden and crisp.

If desired, chop an onion and add it.

Separately beat the eggs in a bowl and slightly salt them.

When the potatoes are ready, add them to the bowl with the beaten eggs and mix until they are integrated.

Heat a deep and not very large frying pan with a little olive oil. Add the mixture and cook over high heat for a few minutes. Cover with a plate and carefully turn the pan upside down, holding the plate firmly with one hand and the pan with the other. Slide the tortilla back into the pan. Continue cooking briefly and serve immediately.

My healthy variant:

The crispy texture of the deep-fried potato is non-negotiable for many people, but I have verified that it’s indeed possible to fry them in very little oil and over moderate heat in a non-stick pan, taking care to stir occasionally so that they don’t stick.

Other healthy variants:

Although I have never personally tried it, some people opt for a healthy version by cooking the potatoes with a bit of olive oil in the microwave for 10 minutes, and others do the same by baking them.

For the first option, cut the potatoes, place them in a suitable bowl, add a bit of olive oil, a little salt and mix. Cover with food film, make some holes for air to circulate, and cook at maximum power for 10 minutes.

In the second case, they are cut and seasoned in the same way with olive oil and salt, but they are baked at 200 degrees until they are done, which can take approximately 20 minutes.

Healthy ketogenic variation:

This is a surprising option, and although it actually doesn’t reach the quality of the original recipe, it makes it available to those who are looking for a less caloric alternative and no carbohydrate content.

The secret is to replace the potato with the same amount of turnip or swede (kohlrabi in some countries). After peeling it, I recommend cutting it into very thin slices and cook them in a pan with oil, just as described before. It’s important that the slices are thin, in order to minimize its crunchy texture, which is not desired in this recipe. Again, it’s possible to add some onion if desired.

One detail to consider is that these vegetables don’t get to brown like potatoes when stir-fried. The reason is that when foods rich in starch are cooked at high temperatures, a chemical reaction occurs between the protein (an aminoacid called asparagine in the case of potatoes) and the sugars, giving rise to that appetizing golden colour. This process is known as the “Maillard reaction”. Turnips and kohlrabis have almost no content of starch, so they won’t have this reaction, but it’s precisely what makes them suitable for keto or other diets.

Tips and tricks:

1. Adding onion is entirely up to personal taste, and Spain is divided about this as much as for their love/hate for Real Madrid/Barcelona. However, I also have to say that many people also like add a chopped green pepper to the tortilla.
2. My suggestion is to cut the potato into half-moons, but many people prefer to dice it, which is perfectly acceptable. Above all, it is important that the cut is always of a similar size, to ensure that all potatoes are evenly cooked.
3. To prevent the potato from browning excessively, it’s possible to rinse it beforehand, in order to get rid of part of the starch. In this way, we can reduce the amount of natural sugars that participate in the already explained Maillard reaction.
4. The proportion of potato and egg is to taste, but I think it should be roughly similar. In fact, the number of units of eggs indicated is twice as many potatoes, but it is done by estimating that these will be twice as large.
5. To obtain a juicy tortilla, cook the mixture over high heat and very briefly on each side. To make it firmer, “seal” the tortilla over high heat and cook it over moderate heat on each side.
6. Other tricks to make the tortilla juicier and also more fluffy are to beat the egg whites and yolks separately and then integrate them, or also adding a bit of cold milk to the mixture.
7. Considering that the eggs curdle between approximately 60 and 65°, if we want to cook the omelette over high heat very briefly (so that it remains juicy in the middle), we run the risk that it will be a little cold in the center. Therefore, it’s advisable to take them out of the fridge half an hour before, so that they are not too cold.
8. It is essential that the diameter of the plate is larger than that of the pan, in order to cover it completely. Hold it firmly with one hand while turning the pan with the other.
9. A trick when turning the tortilla is to pre-wet the plate, so that the tortilla slides easily on it when you return it to the pan.
10. Try to keep in mind all these tips because a simple recipe with few ingredients depends on how we treat them, as well as their quality. In this sense, the potato should not be “sandy”, the eggs should be fresh and the extra virgin olive oil should be mild (an Arbequina, for example, would be a very good option).