One of my resolutions was to learn to make a tortilla. A tortilla española - the thick, potato-laden omelette that has just a few ingredients (eggs, potatoes, olive oil, maybe some onions) and defies reason with its simple deliciousness.
Tortilla can be found everywhere here, in casual ventas and traditional restaurants, I've even had it at fancy events cut into small squares and served as hors d'oeuvres. If you're on the go, you can grab a slice of tortilla stuffed into a small baguette. Yes, potatoes and bread all in one meal. Side note: Carb-phobic diets have not taken hold in southern Spain. And the people here are gorgeous.
There is a venta nearby (El Nene, for any Porteños or Roteños) that makes an amazing tortilla. A phone call, 20 minutes, and €6 ($8) is all it takes for us to get our hands on a giant, deep dish, pie-sized tortilla that will feed us for days. But I started thinking about how one day in the future, when we have to leave España (nooooooooo!) there probably won't be anywhere to get a tortilla. Unless I make one myself...so, one of my resolutions was born. And it was the first one crossed off of my list, because let's be honest, food is a great motivator for me.
My amiga, Pia, is Spanish, and when I mentioned recently that I wanted to learn how to make tortilla, she said she could teach me. Although, like every Spanish woman I've talked to about cooking, she said "but my mother is a much better cook".
On Saturday, Graham and I went over to her and her husband's casa for a little cooking and eating party. And I made a tortilla ! watched Pia intently as she cooked a perfect little tortilla, while I sipped wine and snapped some photos. She is so sweet that she even wrapped it up for us to take home and eat, along with some roasted red peppers and garlic, then made another tortilla for her family.
Either her mama is a ridiculously good cook or Pia is lying, because the tortilla was amazing, and the peppers went along with it fantastically.
Now I have no excuse but to try to make one on my own. When I do (as long as it doesn't turn out to be a hot mess), I'll be back with some step-by-step photos and a recipe.
Any certain food you want to learn to cook? My next challenge will be paella!
