Spanish tortilla with ham cubes

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 600 g potatoes, mainly waxy
• 120 g onion(s), red
• 50 g diced ham, possibly Serrano ham
• 250 ml olive oil, good or sunflower oil
• 5 eggs
• 1 small garlic clove(s)
• 1 tsp parsley
• 1 tsp chives
• Milk
• Paprika powder, sweet
• Sea salt, fine

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 40 minutes

First of all – unfortunately, I only realized while I was eating the tortilla that I had forgotten to take a picture. That’s why there is a picture of the half-eaten tortilla. I never peel my potatoes because I really like the skin. That way everyone can decide for themselves whether to peel them or just clean them. Then cut the potatoes into small cubes, about 1 cm in size, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of sea salt. You can roughly chop the onions. Put the olive oil or sunflower oil in a 24 cm diameter pan and heat well. When the oil is hot enough (bubbles on the wooden spoon handle), add the potatoes and onions and fry over medium heat. This takes about 15 minutes. The potatoes should not brown! If there is too little, add more oil as the potato pieces need to be almost covered. Stir occasionally. If using Serrano ham, tear the slices into small pieces and set aside for now. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the eggs with a splash of milk. Add the parsley, chives, and crushed garlic, then season with sea salt, pepper, and a little paprika. After the potatoes have cooked for 10 minutes, add the diced ham (or shredded Serrano ham) and let them sizzle for the last 5 minutes. Separate the potatoes and ham from the oil using a sieve. Collect the oil and drain the potatoes well. Beat the egg mixture again quickly, then add the potatoes and ham. Stir carefully every now and then and let it sit for a few minutes. Then heat the pan over a high heat, add about 3 tablespoons of the collected oil to the pan, and then add the entire contents of the bowl. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 2-3 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally! This prevents the potatoes from burning and also creates a nice rounded edge when turned over. Place a large plate on the pan. Hold the pan and plate firmly and turn it over in one smooth motion so that the tortilla is now lying on the plate. Slide the tortilla into the pan and cook for another minute over medium heat. The core should still be shiny and not overcooked. (If you really want the tortilla to be cooked through, you’ll need to finish cooking it on a lower heat for a longer time.) I like to eat the tortilla on its own. Fresh tomato salad also goes very well. This portion is enough for two normal eaters as a main course. A good eater could probably finish a portion like this almost entirely. Traditionally, tortillas in Spain are made exclusively with potatoes, white onions, eggs, and a little salt, nothing more. But my boyfriend’s Spanish family, for example, also spread tuna and tomato slices on top. Or they would cook the tortilla thoroughly, cut it lengthwise, and put vegetables etc. in the core, basically serving it as a large sandwich. I think out of 10 days of vacation we had tortilla on 5 days because it was just so delicious.