Tortilla /tɔːˈtiːjə/ (English: omelette; origin: Spanish, diminutive of torta ‘cake’)
Zucchini /zʊˈkiːni/ (Spanish: calabacín; UK: courgette; origin: Italian: zucchine, plural of zucchina, diminutive of zucca ‘gourd’)
You walk into a diner in the US of A. You peel open a laminated menu, settle on an omelette and have countless options as to what goes in: cheeses, meats, veggies, hold the yolks, you got it. The American omelette’s cousin is the tortilla español, which generally consists of egg, potato and onion, plain and simple, but other ingredients sometimes find their way in – either sandwiched between two tortilla halves (picture a layer-cake with filling in the middle) or folded right into the egg mixture.
The tortilla with the most possibilities and the most enjoyable (if not today, then once you learn how to do the thing) is the tortilla you make at home. In honor of spring/summer produce and helping you advance your homemade tortilla game, I give you a recipe for Spanish tortilla with zucchini (tortilla de calabacín). Cocinamos!
Serves 2 hungry people or 4 snackers
Ingredients:
1 large zucchini
1 clove garlic
4 large eggs
1 medium onion
2 tablespoon olive oil
Salt
EVOO + sea salt to taste
Directions:
1. Peel off about half of the zucchini skin and cut into 1/2 inch cubes.
2. Chop garlic and julienne onion. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Sprinkle large pinch of salt into eggs.
3. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and zucchini. When cooked slightly, add garlic. Once veggies are golden, pour into the bowl with the egg mixture and stir.
4. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a large pan over medium heat. Once hot, pour mixture into pan and with a spatula, push sides of mixture around the pan so that the eggs set evenly throughout.
5. When bottom of the tortilla is set and the top is just a bit wet, put a plate over top of pan (being extra careful not to burn yourself) flip pan and tortilla onto plate, then slide the tortilla back into the pan. In short: flip the tortilla.
6. Cook 30 seconds or until egg is set to your liking. Transfer to plate and serve immediately, or let cool, refrigerate and serve later. Finish with a drizzle of EVOO and sea salt, or get WILD and serve with hot sauce or hoisin sauce with scallions. Cocinamos!
