A tortilla de patatas x begedil mashup!
Inspired by our trip to Spain
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It’s been 3 months since our trip to Spain and I still think about it a lot. It was one of those ultimate foodie destinations, where you are delighted at every turn, and even simple, inexpensive food is great. Of all the bites we had, one of the most transcendent was Casa Dani’s tortilla de patatas. This is a little hole-in-the-wall eatery at the market which was featured on an episode of Somebody Eat Phil, and I wasn’t expecting much because places featured in the media tend to be overhyped.
Maybe it was media buzz after the show aired or maybe it has always been popular amongst locals, but there was a long queue for lunch. It was well worth it, though, because the tortilla de patatas was divine. It had just the right about of ooze and was creamy and luxurious like good scrambled eggs. What I also noticed was the caramelisation on the onions and potatoes, which made it taste somewhat richer, sweeter, and more complex than the other tortillas that we’d had on the trip. It reminded me about begedils (potato patties that are coated in egg and deep-fried), which are all about the same three ingredients - eggs, onions, and potatoes - so I thought I’d try making a begedil-inspired potato tortilla!
First, caramelise lots of sliced onions in oil:
It looks like a lot of onion, but it shrinks down considerably.
Return the oil to the pan and add sliced potatoes. Deep-fry until the potatoes caramelise on the edges and become tender. When making begedils, some people used boiled potatoes, but others deep-fry the sliced potatoes for added flavour - I thought this was such an interesting parallel between the two dishes.
Drain the potatoes well:
Combine the potatoes and fried onions in a bowl, and mash with a potato masher or wooden spatula until it forms a chunky paste. Season generously with salt and white pepper, and mix in the eggs:
Let the egg mixture sit for 15 minutes (the heat from the potatoes thickens the egg up slightly), then mix in chopped coriander and spring onion:
Swirl some oil in a hot saucepan and add the mix. Cook for a minute or two on medium heat, or until the bottom is set.
Place a plate on top of the pan and flip. I was too nervous to do it so I got Wex’s help! For reference, we watched this incredible video of the cook at Casa Dani preparing this dish. Because the tortilla was still runny at this stage, we were both feeling nervous about it and hemmed and hawed, but we did it in the end!! You will perform two flips - the first to brown the tortilla on the other side, and the second to flip the tortilla out onto a serving plate. (P.S. In case you’re wondering, that’s my glutinous rice wine ferment, covered in a bag to shield it from light and basking in heat from the stove. More about this another time.)
This is how our virgin attempt of tortilla de patatas looks like. It is definitely more set than what we were aiming for, BUT the flavours were on point!! Such a deep sweetness from the fried onions and potatoes. “A minute less mucking around on each side and it would have been perfect,” says Wex. We’re going to continue perfecting our technique and hopefully one day our tortilla will have texture as good as the one at Casa Dani! Below you’ll find recipes for traditional begedils and the tortilla if you want to give it a try at home:
Begedil-inspired tortilla de patatas
Makes 1 9” tortilla
250g onions, finely sliced
Oil, for deep-frying
750g potatoes, halved and sliced
Salt and ground white pepper to taste
350g egg
20g roughly chopped coriander
25g thinly sliced spring onion
Place the onions in a saucepan and cover with oil. Fry on high heat until the onions turn golden brown, then strain through a sieve set over a bowl. Press down firmly on the onions with a spatula to expel all of the excess oil. Return the oil to the pan and add the potatoes. If necessary, add more oil to cover the potatoes. Fry on high heat until the potatoes turn golden on the sides and are tender. Drain the potatoes thoroughly in a colander, shaking well to remove excess oil. Transfer the potatoes and onions to a large bowl. Mash with a potato masher or wooden spatula until a chunky paste forms. Generously season with salt and ground white pepper. Stir in the eggs until the mixture is thoroughly combined, then leave to stand for 15 minutes. Add the coriander and spring onion. Set a 8 or 9” saucepan on medium heat. Pour a good amount of oil (from frying the onions and potatoes) into the pan, swirl to coat well on all sides, then pour off the excess. Allow the pan to heat until the oil almost begins to shimmer. Add the egg mixture and cook without stirring, until the tortilla is set on the bottom but it still runny on top. Flip it onto a plate, then slide it back into the pan to cook it on the other side (watch this video for the technique). When the tortilla is set on the other side, flip it onto a plate and serve.
Begedils with minced beef
Serves 6
130g red onion, sliced
1kg peeled potatoes, sliced thickly
300g minced beef
60g red onion, diced
30g coriander or Chinese celery stems
30g spring onions
White pepper and salt to taste
Beaten egg
Kecap manis and cut chilli (optional, to serve)
Cover sliced red onion with oil and fry on high heat until golden and crispy. Strain and, using the same oil, gently deep fry potatoes until lightly browned and cooked through. Drain on kitchen towels. Pour away the oil from the pan (reserve for future use) and set the pan on high heat. Add the minced beef and fry until cooked and lightly browned. Add diced red onion. Fry until the onion softens. Season with salt. In a large bowl, mash potatoes and mix with fried beef mixture, fried onion, coriander, and spring onion. Taste and season with white pepper and salt. Form golf ball-sized amounts of the mixture into patties. Dip in beaten egg and deep fry until golden brown. Drain on kitchen towels. Serve with kecap manis and cut chilli if desired.
