serves 2 to 4
When it comes to entertaining, my friend Anya von Bremzen goes all out. An invitation to her house for a “simple dinner with a few dear friends” means a buffet table overflowing with hors d’oeuvres, followed by several sit-down courses, then an extravagant dessert, maybe ice cream steeped with the dried rose petals she carted home from Istanbul.
Inevitably, I want to re-create her recipes, like her tender, eggy tortilla strewn with potatoes and topped with garlic allioli, the Spanish version of aioli or garlic mayonnaise. Luckily for me, chances are it’s been published, as Anya has written several cookbooks. Indeed, a version of this is included in The New Spanish Table.
So I gave it a go, mixing and sautéing as per her expert instructions. When I turned the finished tortilla out of the pan, it was just solid enough to slice, but still soft and jiggly on the inside. I dolloped on a big glob of allioli, which is easily made by hand in 2 minutes with either a mortar and pestle or bowl and whisk. (It tends to separate when I use a blender.) The onions were both sweet and savory, and gave the tortilla a hearty, rich flavor. The potatoes were tender and toothsome and gave the eggs just enough substance without adding heft.
At Anya’s, the tortilla was cut up and served with cocktails as an elegant finger-size tapas. But at home, with some hot buttered toast and jam, I’d just call it brunch.
If you have any left over, it’s great cold the next day, eaten as is, or made into a sandwich with some of the allioli smeared on the bread.
1 garlic clove, minced
Pinch kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 large egg yolk
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large Spanish onion, halved and thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup cubed potato, cooked
8 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1. MAKE THE ALLIOLI: Using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic and salt to make a paste. (Alternatively, you can use the flat of a knife to mash the garlic and salt on a cutting board until it becomes a paste, then transfer it to a medium bowl.)
2. Whisk in the lemon juice, then the egg yolk until thoroughly combined. While whisking or pounding constantly, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. It’s best to have an extra pair of hands here; one person can whisk/pound while the other drizzles in the oil. Continue whisking until the oil is fully emulsified. If it seems too thick, drizzle in a few drops of hot water and mix well.
3. MAKE THE TORTILLA: Preheat the oven to 500°F.
4. In a large, preferably nonstick, ovenproof skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, season to taste with salt and pepper, and sauté until golden brown. Stir in the potato.
5. Reduce the heat to low. Using a heatproof spatula, mix in the eggs and basil. Cook, stirring with a spatula and pushing in the edges as they become firm so the liquid eggs run underneath the cooked, until the eggs are just set on the bottom but the top is still wet, about 5 minutes.
6. Place the skillet in the oven for about 3 minutes, or until the top of the tortilla is dry (do not overcook). Invert onto a plate and slice into wedges. Serve hot with dollops of the allioli.