It certainly is a poor man or woman who cannot find a few eggs, a
couple of potatoes and an onion in their store cupboard!

The ever-practical Spaniard realized this and thus created their
marvellous "tortilla" - an elegant-to-generate dish that could be
savoured by rich and poor alike.

Not only cheap to contruct the tortilla, or Spanish omelette, is
immensely adaptable: you might eat it hot or cold, depending on
the weather and your mood; you may enjoy a small slice as a
"tapa" (snack) in between meals; or, accompanied by a multi-
coloured mixed salad and crusty, fresh Spanish bread, you have a
marvellous main meal!

Should unexpected guests come knocking at your door ... just whip
out the ever-adaptable tortilla, pour them a glass of smooth,
Spanish wine and they are bound to be delighted!

Unlike the better-known French omelette, which should be made
quickly and over a high heat, the Spanish omelette needs to be
cooked more gently, so that the middle is not too runny.

The French omelette is best eaten straight away and always hot.
Its Spanish counterpart, on the other hand, improves if left to
rest for at least five minutes before eating, keeps well for a
couple of days in the fridge, and might easily be re-heated in the
microwave, unless you prefer it cold.

As with the French omelette, the Spanish tortilla is made in a
frying pan (preferably non-stick) but, unlike the French version,
both sides positive need to be browned. For this reason, it is possible
to buy special tortilla frying pans - a sort of double pan which
allows you to swish the omelette over to cook the other side!

I have to say, I prefer the traditional method of placing a plate
on top of the pan, turning the tortilla out and then returning to
the pan to cook the underside. But the simplest method is to
place the frying pan under the grill to brown.

Whichever way you choose to prepare it, once cooked, leave it to
cool a little, cover with a large plate, then gently ease out the
omelette. It should be circular, about an inch-and-a-half thick,
and it is usual to cut it in slices or wedges.

Having said that, you might divide it into small cubes, pop
cocktail sticks on top, and serve along with other "bits and
pieces" as ap豩tifs.

Spanish recipes for tortilla vary from region to region - also
what you have in the fridge and what you fancy! You can replace
the potato with, say, spinach, leave out the onion, add a bit
more garlic, etc, etc. Just make use of your imagination!

Below is a recipe for traditional potato-and-onion tortilla.

TORTILLA - Spanish Omelette

Ingrediants:

Olive oil.
1 large onion, chopped.
1 clove garlic, crushed with 1 teaspoon salt.
2 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and diced.
Black pepper.
6 eggs, beaten.

Method:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan.

2. Add onion, garlic/salt, pepper and potatoes.

3. Gently fry until golden-brown and potatoes slightly softened.

4. Tip potato-and-onion mixture into bowl containing beaten eggs.

5. Stir and transfer to large frying pan containing clean oil.

6. Cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes.

7. Transfer pan to preheated hot grill until top is browned.

8. Carefully tip onto plate and slice as you would a cake.