Tortilla de Patata

When I lived in Spain one of my favorite lunches was Tortilla de Patata.  It is essentially an egg pie with potatoes cooked in it.  My senora Francesca, referred to by friends as Paqui, was a hilarious woman who was 83 when i lived with her.  She wore a wig as she was balled for years with no known reason just fell out.  She didn't speak a bit of English, but cleaned her house to the Bee-Jees.  Some nights she would come home later than me around 3AM after being out dancing with her friends.  She lived through the Spanish civil war and her stories/sometimes cooking of dandelions from the garden were a remembrance of those times.

I've jazzed Paqui's tortilla de patata up a bit and added; onion, broccoli, and cheddar.

10eggs
1/2-1 cup shredded cheddar
1 shallot
1/2-1cup broccoli florets - if using the broccoli stems be sure to cut up small.
2tbs olive oil
pinch of salt


Sauté the potatoes until soft in 1tbs olive oil; add a pinch of salt.  Just before soft add in the shallots and reduce heat to low.

Shred Cheddar

Whisk appox 10-12 eggs; add shredded cheddar to eggs and mix together
Put 1 tbs oil in the baking pan (you can use any type of cake pan, the goal is that the end result has the depth of a pie)

Use a paper towel and rub the oil on all sides of the pan to make sure there is no sticking issues.
Poor the whisked eggs into the oiled pan; add the potatoes/onion/broccoli to mixture - spread out evenly.

Bake at 325 for 25min or until cooked through.
Serve in squares from square pan or in slices from a round pan.


The good thing about this dish is it is a vessel for any flavors you like.  If you want to add tomatoes great; if you want to caramelize the onions perfect; if you want to go a little south western and add peppers not a problem - all up to you.

Plus if you ever go to Spain, for lunch order the Tortilla de Patata - you will be considered a cultured traveler.  Then when the you would like the bill don't blow it and ask for el cheque - it's la cuenta.