So, how’s quarantine and self-isolation going?
Are you cooking up a storm? Are you going stir-crazy? Are you loving having ‘you’ time and being a hermit?
I’ve been filling my time with work, baking projects (I WILL master sourdough), Ghibli Netflix party binges and long Hangouts calls with friends from around the world.
What I’m loving in this time of isolation though, is how so many people have worked even harder to create and maintain community connections, bringing people together during what are bizarre and scary times, offering up their time and knowledge.
Two of my favourite barre and ballet teachers, Nadine and Courtney, have started amazing YouTube channels filled with barre and pilates-inspired classes. I miss them and their guidance a lot, so I’m grateful for the time and effort that they put into producing these videos.
And then there’s Kick Ass Yoga, who I have followed for a long time, but being on the other side of the world, have not been able to practice with before. Jelena has spent a lot of time not only continuing on with her how-to pose posts, but posting free flow and stretch classes to keep us all limber in what might be less ergonomic working conditions than usual.
When I need a bit of down time, I tune into Sir Patrick Stewart’s Shakespeare sonnet of the day series. When things return to normal, listening to the latest sonnet with my afternoon coffee will be something I’ll miss.
And all my isolation bread project needs are being met by Monique.breadhead from my most favourite place on earth. She’s been so patient with my never-ending questions about sourdough starters and smells. I think I’ve just about cracked it this time, and I encourage you to check out her insta stories if you’d like to jump on the sourdough bandwagon.
I even signed up for a Spanish tortilla making class with Laneway Learning. It made for a different and entertaining online cooking lesson, learning about the history of the dish whilst 15 people on Zoom chopped and fried potatoes, and tried to flip tortillas out of hot pans.
The Spanish tortilla, or tortilla de patatas, is an omelette with potatoes. It’s one of those dishes that every family has a recipe for, and of course, every family think theirs is the best.
Tortilla de patatas can be served for any meal, and they’re a common sight in tapas bars. They can be gooey or fully set, thin or thick, warm or cold, and depending on the region, topped or stuffed with anything from capsicums to coleslaw, jamon to lamb’s brains.
I love red capsicums, so that’s what I added to my omelette. I may have also added cheese (don’t tell the Spaniards), and served warm tortilla wedges with thick slices of machengo and pimento olives. It may not be traditional, but tortilla de patatas is a great base to carry lots of different flavours. Keep it traditional, add some capsicums like I do, some chorizo or jamon if you’re a meat eater, or let your imagination invent a new concoction.
Tortilla de Patatas (Spanish Tortilla)
Ingredients
- Olive oil for frying
- 4 potatoes*
- 1 red onion
- 1 red capsicum
- 6 large eggs
- ¼ cup manchego, grated*
- Salt to taste
- Manchego and pimento olives, to serve
Instructions
- Pour enough olive oil into a large, heavy-based frying pan to be able to fry (not sauté) the potato slices, about half a finger deep. Let it start heating up over high heat.Olive oil for frying
- While the oil is heating up, peel and thinly slice the potatoes, about half a centimetre thickness. When the oil is hot, add the potato slices and let them fry away.4 potatoes*
- Peel and slice the onion finely, and deseed and chop the capsicum into bite sized chunks. Once the potatoes have softened, around 12 to 15 minutes, add the onion and capsicum. Continue to cook, stirring gently every now and then, for a further 10 minutes or until the potatoes have browned a little and all the vegetables are soft.1 red onion, 1 red capsicum
- When cooked, scoop out the vegetables onto a paper towel-lined plate and allow to drain*.
- While the vegetables are draining, crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk them. Add the grated manchego and season with salt and pepper.6 large eggs, Salt to taste, ¼ cup manchego
- Add a tablespoon of the frying oil to a smaller frying pan* and preheat over low heat.
- Being careful of not to add any paper bits, scoop the slightly cooled and drained vegetables into the whisked eggs and stir to combine.
- Pour the mixture into the heated frying pan all at once, and quickly swirl the pan around to distribute the eggy mixture evenly.
- Once the edges start to colour and come away from the pan, carefully lift up a side of the tortilla and check to see if the bottom has browned. Once it has, there are two options. Option 1 – traditional: place a dinner plate bigger than the frying pan over the top and flip the tortilla out, then slide it back into the pan, raw side down to continue cooking. Carry on flipping the tortilla using the plate until the middle is done to your liking, completely set or slightly gooey but cooked. Option 2 – easier: when the bottom is cooked, place the whole frying pan under a grill and heat until cooked through and golden brown on top, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Flip the tortilla out onto a serving plate, cut into wedges and serve warm or cold, with thick slices of manchego and pimento olives.Manchego and pimento olives
2 Comments
It was perfect the first time. I learn so much from you as well! Keep it up great post.
Ah, great job! Glad you enjoyed it