Tortilla de España

I credit growing up in Spain to opening my palate to a wide range of flavors. We had a nanny, Maria, that cooked the most delicious foods. Since I was older, I was able to help and watch how she created these tasty meals for us children on a daily basis. This is one of them, Tortilla de España.

My mother carried the tradition when we returned to the U.S. and dubbed it my brothers favorite dish. Little does he know, it was all of our favorite. While I love my mother and turned out to be a wonderful cook, she did not make it the same way as our Spanish nanny. I prefer Maria's method. Not dramatically different, but I can taste the difference in preparation. Sorry, Mom.

There is some prep work involved, make sure you give yourself enough time. Because of the time involved, I do not make this dish very often. This dish involves *flipping* so I strongly urge you to use a smaller frying pan, not the large version.

2 potatoes, cubed small
2 clove garlic, diced
1/2 onion sliced
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon basil
1 cup veggies
   -This various to what you have on hand or prefer. Popular to add peas, but I often use colored peppers, broccoli and spinach. Experiment! :)

7 eggs

Scramble eggs in a large bowl and set aside. (tip: do not add milk!)

Cook potatoes in olive oil until tender. Add spices, garlic and onions, cook for additional 5 minutes. Toss in veggies. Stir for 5 more minutes.

This process happens quickly. Add potato mixture to the eggs, mix well. Pour evenly back ton the pan. Cover and cook for approx 10 minutes on medium heat. Using a plate, cover the pan and flip. Don't second guess yourself, just do it...flip it! Make sure you have enough oil left in the pan, may need to add a teaspoon more.

Ready for this? Slide the plate back into the pan so the other side cooks. Allow to cook for 10 more minutes.

This may be served hot or cold.