Spanish tortilla with spring onions and a lemon-dressed tomato salad

Serves - 4

You’ll need

• 700g waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into thin slices
• 1 onion, finely sliced
• 4 spring onions, finely sliced
• 6 eggs
• 100ml olive oil
• Sea salt
• Black pepper

For the lemon-dressed tomato salad
• 4 ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1 small shallot, very finely sliced
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Small handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• Sea salt
• Black pepper

Method

1. Get the potatoes going

Put the sliced potatoes and onion into a large frying pan with the olive oil and a good pinch of salt. Set over a medium-low heat and cook gently for 20–25 minutes, turning everything now and then, until the potatoes are completely tender but not coloured too much. You want them soft and silky rather than crisping up and heading off in the wrong direction.

2. Add the spring onions

Stir the spring onions into the pan for the final 2 minutes of cooking, just to take off their raw edge and let them settle in a little. They should still keep a bit of freshness about them rather than disappearing entirely.

3. Mix the eggs

Crack the eggs into a large bowl and beat them with a good pinch of salt and a generous grind of black pepper. Lift the potatoes, onions and spring onions out of the pan with a slotted spoon and add them to the eggs. Leave the mixture to sit for 5 minutes so the potatoes can absorb a bit of the egg and everything gets properly acquainted.

4. Start the tortilla

Pour off most of the oil from the pan, leaving just enough to lightly coat the base. Return the pan to a medium heat and pour in the tortilla mixture. Shake the pan gently so everything settles evenly, then cook for 5–6 minutes until the underside is golden and the edges are set but the middle still has a little softness to it. This is not the moment to rush. A good tortilla likes a bit of patience.

5. Turn it properly

Place a large plate over the pan and, with a bit of confidence, flip the tortilla out onto it. Slide it back into the pan to cook on the other side for another 4–5 minutes. You want it set but still tender in the middle, not cooked into a dry yellow frisbee.

6. Make the salad

While the tortilla finishes, put the tomatoes and shallot into a bowl. Whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, a pinch of salt and a good grind of black pepper, then pour it over the tomatoes. Add most of the parsley and toss gently. It should feel bright and sharp enough to lift the richness of the tortilla.

7. Serve

Leave the tortilla to sit for 5–10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature with the tomato salad alongside, finished with the remaining parsley. It is equally good for lunch, supper, or left on the table to be picked at with a glass of something cold.

A couple of helpful notes
- Waxy potatoes are the right choice here, as they soften beautifully without collapsing altogether.
- If turning the tortilla feels too dramatic, finish it under a grill instead, though the classic flip does give you the nicest shape.
- The tortilla is very good warm, but arguably even better once it has had a little time to settle.