Gijon is hosting from 16th to 25th February the Campeonato de Tortillas or Spanish omelette championship for this year. During these days, you can taste different versions of Tortilla de Patatas in several establishments such as bars, cafes, cider houses, and restaurants around the city. Tortilla de Patatas is a straightforward and tasty dish considered a national food in Spain due to its popularity. The Spanish omelette is made traditionally with potato, egg, salt, olive oil and optionally onion. Besides, there are different inventive versions with whatever ingredient might seem fit, such as ham or chorizo. For this Campeonato de Tortillas, the participating establishments might compete with either the traditional potato omelette and their recipe with the ingredients of their choosing. This event sponsored by the newspaper El Comercio publishing a guide for this championship with the different competing establishments, addresses, and the omelette versions. These are some tasty examples from the 33 establishments participating in Gijon on this gastronomic contest:
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From top left to right: Cafeteria Europa, La Cuadra de Anton, Cafeteria Puerta de La Villa, La Montera Picona, La Sastrería, As de Picas
Nevertheless, if your mouth is watering now with all these pictures of Spanish omelette? If you cannot make it to Gijon during these days, why not give it a try at home?
Spanish Omelette Recipe
Tortilla de Patatas
Servings: four
Ingredients: four medium potatoes, five eggs, four cups of olive oil for pan frying, salt to taste and half onion optionally
Preparation:
- Start by peeling, washing and drying the potatoes, cut them into thin slices and season with salt.
- Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and deep fry the potatoes until cooked. They should be soft and with a pale brown color.
- Remove the potatoes from the frying pan and drain the olive oil. Be careful when handling hot olive oil!
- Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl. Add the cooked potatoes, a pinch of salt and mix all together.
- Put the empty frying pan back on the stove at medium heat. Add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. When hot, add the egg and potato mixture evenly into the pan.
- Cook on a low flame for several minutes. The egg cooks around the edges. Even though the egg is still runny on top, you should see it begins to brown at the bottom when carefully lifting the mixture.
- Time to turn the omelette upside down. Use a large dinner plate capable of covering the whole pan.
- Place the omelette back into the non-stick pan with the uncooked side down. The egg must cook slowly until both sides are brown.
- Serve it hot or cold on a round plate.
Just in case we got lost in translation, this is a video of Spanish chef Omar Allibhoy cooking his recipe with a twist. You never know, it might be a good inspiration for your recipes at home.
Otherwise, Cimavilla, the old quarter of Gijon, offers many cider taverns (sidrerías) and restaurants for traditional Spanish food. Enjoy!
