Two-potato tortilla

As I was shopping for the Hunger Challenge and pondering the budget-friendly combo of potatoes and eggs, it occurred to me that one of my very favorite Spanish recipes is also one of the most economical ones I know. Tortilla español, with its simple combination of flavors, is just an advanced version of a frittata, after all.

Because my shopping included sweet potatoes along with $.50/pound Yukon golds, I thought it might be nice to inject some extra Vitamin A into the equation by mixing up the potato choices a little bit. It was a bit of an experiment—I worried the sweet potatoes would become too mushy in the cooking process—but it turned out to be a success. The key is to keep the ratio heavy on the regular potatoes, with no more than 25 percent of your potatoes being of the sweet variety.

This version of the recipe also foregoes a traditional step in the Spanish repertoire: frying up the potatoes and onions in oil. I have long been baking my potatoes and onions rather than frying them—the baking is still done in a more-than-healthy measure of fat to keep everything moist, but it’s far more foolproof than the traditional method, in my experience, and requires a little bit less oil than the old-school way.

One note on this: The hardest part of the process is the flipping of the tortilla halfway through cooking. The key to this, I’ve learned, is to get in touch with one’s inner Julia Child—the more confidently you do this, the easier it is. And the result? A delicious, portable main course that is economical and filling, as well.

Two-potato Tortilla
(Serves 8)

4 TBSP. + 2 TBSP. melted butter (Note: I usually use olive oil, but because butter was one of my Hunger Challenge grocery purchases, that’s what went in here.)
3 large Yukon gold potatoes, sliced thinly
2 small sweet potatoes, sliced thinly
1 yellow onion, sliced thinly
3 cloves roasted garlic (optional)
9 eggs
1 TBSP. salt
Freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Toss the sliced Yukon gold and sweet potatoes in 4 Tbsp. melted butter, cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
2. Uncover the pan, add the onion, and toss to make sure everything’s coated. Recover the pan and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.
3. Beat the eggs (with the roasted garlic, if you’d like) in a large bowl. Add salt and pepper. Fold in the potato and onion mixture and toss to coat.
4. Heat 1 Tbsp. butter in an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the potato-egg mixture and let set for about a minute, then reduce the heat to a low setting and cook for approximately 15-20 minutes. Occasionally use a spatula to loosen the sides and check for brownness on the bottom of the tortilla.
5. When the mixture is fairly firm (it may still be a bit runny on the top), take a large enough plate to hold the entire tortilla, and place it face down on top of the pan. Holding the plate in place with one hand and the handle of the tortilla in the other, quickly flip the two so the tortilla slides out on the plate. You may need to shake the pan a bit to get it to fully release.
6. Return the pan to the heat and then slide the tortilla back into the pan so the other side cooks thoroughly. This side should take about half as long as the first side—be careful not to overcook.
7. Remove the tortilla from the pan to a clean plate and let cool to room temperature.
8. Repeat steps 4-7 for the remaining egg-potato mixture.
9. Slice each room temperature tortilla into four wedges. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later. Can also be reheated in the microwave or in a low-heat oven.