In my house growing up, a tortilla de arroz, the Peruvian version of a tortilla Espanola (Spanish omelet), was like a grilled cheese sandwich. It’s a quick, hot, and delicious meal that fills your belly, and is easy to make with a few basic ingredients.
Instead of using potatoes like the Spanish version, in Peru (or at least at my house growing up) we used leftover rice and filled it out with pantry ingredients or whatever leftovers are in the refrigerator. When I lived in London and was still working the dishwashing shift at my first restaurant job, I would come home and make it with canned tuna as a quick, inexpensive late-night snack. That classic version is always good, but I really love the omelet with vegetables. It’s a great late-night snack, or serve the torrejitas as part of a brunch.
Today I like to make mini torrejitas with the leftovers from prepping other recipes, like the fried hearts of red onions (see page 45), crispy scallions, leftover nubs of juicy tomatoes, and the steamed little bits of cauliflower that break off when you slice the whole head. I quarter the omelets and serve them on a tangy pool of homemade ponzu sauce (see page 37) that I already have in my restaurant refrigerator (if you don’t have ponzu, don’t skip the recipe; the torrejitas are also good on their own). Sprinkle a little chopped parsley on top and add a dollop of mayo or a spicy Sriracha aioli (see page 38) and it’s an impressive five-minute vegetarian tapas plate. Not bad for leftovers.
1 Put about ½ cup leftover rice in a bowl, crack 2 eggs over the rice, and add a small handful (⅓ to ½ cup) of whatever mix of vegetables you would like. Finely chopped tomatoes, jalapeños, red onions or scallions, and leftover cooked and chopped broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots are all good. (A mix of fresh tomatoes and scallions, along with cooked cauliflower, is one of my favorite combinations.) Mix everything together with your fingers or a spoon. The mixture should be very moist, like an omelet.
2 Heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a medium skillet—nonstick works best if you have one. When the oil is very hot, use a serving spoon to scoop about 2 tablespoons of the egg mixture into the pan like pancake batter to create a mini omelet. Add another two or three spoonfuls of batter to the pan to make 4 or 5 mini omelets, whatever you can fit in the pan. Cook the omelets on one side until firm and golden brown on the bottom, about 1 minute. Use the spatula to quickly flip the omelets, like you would with pancakes. Cook the opposite side until golden brown and the firm to the touch, a minute or two more. Remove the omelets from the pan and repeat with the remaining batter.
3 Transfer the omelets to a serving plate with a few spoonfuls of ponzu sauce on the bottom, if you would like. Add a dollop of mayonnaise or spicy Sriracha aioli (see page 38), or sour cream, and sprinkle a little chopped cilantro, parsley, or scallions on top.
Serves 1–2, makes 6–8