Spanish omelette

Olives go well with pretty much anything Mediterranean, including the classic Spanish omelette or tortilla. You can use any olives – green, black, plain, spicy or herby – they all add taste and nutrient value to this dish.

Ingredients

1 onion, peeled, cut in half and slides thinly (red or white)
600g potatoes, peeled, cut in half lengthways and sliced thinly
6 eggs, beaten
approx. 15 olives, sliced
pure or light olive oil (for cooking)
extra-virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
salt and pepper

Method

Put half a glass of water in a frying pan and heat to steaming. You can use a non-stick pan, or if you want to go chemical-free, try a ceramic-coated frying pan, or an iron one (if you are using a red onion, this may make it turn a dark green, as in the pictures here).

Add the onion and steam-fry for ten minutes, stirring regularly to prevent sticking. You can add a tablespoon of light olive oil or a knob of butter at this point for a bit of extra texture if you wish. Put the cooked onions in the bowl with the beaten eggs, and then repeat the steam-fry process with the potatoes, cooking them until soft – this will take around 15-20 minutes. When they are done, add them to the egg and onion mixture. Add the sliced onions and seasoning to the mix.

Put a glug of the light or pure olive oil in the frying pan and turn the pan so the surface is coated. Pour in the tortilla mix, using a spoon to distribute the ingredients evenly. Cook on a medium heat for 4-5 minutes. You can then either cook the top part of the tortilla under the grill for 4-5 minutes, or, if it will come out easily, turn it onto a plate, then slide it back into the pan upside-down and cook for 3-4 more minutes.