Tortilla de Patatas

My favorite meal while I was living in Spain was the Tortilla de Patatas or Tortilla Española, a quintesential Spanish staple. I had this tortilla all over Spain and I can guarantee that the tortilla my Señora made was by far the very best. So, during the four months I lived with her, I was able to learn some of her secrets to the perfect tortilla and I am ready to share them with you!

Tortilla Española (read about my adventures with la tortilla here, in an pre-release excerpt from my Spanish food magazine: Comida)

Ingredients:

Potatoes, any variety
1 onion
3-6 egg whites
2-4 egg yolks
Salt to taste
Extra Virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Pour 1-1.5 inches of olive oil in the bottom of a round-bottomed pan.

2. Peel and slice potatoes in to approximately 1 cm thick rounds. Place potato slices in warm oil until pan is about 2/3 full of potatoes. Oil should not be boiling.

3. Continue to turn potatoes for about 10-15 minutes or until all slice are soft. Potatoes should not brown.

4. Add salt to taste.

5. Grate onion in to potato mixture and continue to turn for about two more minutes.

6. Strain potato mixture, removing all excess oil (the easiest way is to allow the mixture to sit in a strainer for about three minutes).

7. While mixture is straining, beat all eggs together.

8. Pour potato mixture back in to pan and pour eggs over the top. Turn mixture so that the eggs are evenly dispersed.

9. Add salt to taste.

10. Allow Tortilla to cook for approximately three minutes, or until tortilla hold together when pan is shook.

11. Using a plate, flip the tortilla on to the plate and slide it back in to the pan allowing the other side to cook.

12. Cook for about three more minutes and carefully slide on to serving plate.

13. Allow the tortilla to sit for at least 30 minutes before serving so that it holds its domed shape.

14. ¡Buen Provecho!

To learn more about my time in Spain, visit: taylorqchat.blogspot.com

Easy Chicken Picatta

I strayed from my usual baked ziti at Bellisimo in Colleyville and tried the chicken picatta on a recent trip. Although Belisimo's baked ziti is the best baked ziti I've ever had, their chicken picatta held its own. Since chicken picatta is a little lighter than baked ziti, and the weather has been warming up, I decided to give it a try. Here is my super simple version of chicken picatta and I promise you won't regret it!

Ingredients:

2 chicken boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and cut in half

1/4 cup chicken stock

6 Tbs. olive oil

4 Tbs. butter

juice of 1 large lemon or 2 small lemons

angel hair pasta (as much as you'd like...I used a little less than half a package for 2 people) flour

garlic powder

paprika

salt and freshly ground pepper

OPTIONAL:

capers

fresh lemon slices

Directions:

1. Boil pasta with a sprinkle of salt and splash of olive oil until desired texture (about 8 minutes).

2. Heat 2 Tbs. oil and 1 Tbs. butter in large pan.

3. Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder.

4. Cover chicken breasts in a light coating of flour.

5. Place 2 chicken pieces in pan once the oil begins to simmer and cook for 3 minutes, flip and cook for three more minutes, or until golden brown and no longer pink inside.

6. Take chicken off heat and place on plate (they're not finished yet, this is just a holding area).

7. Put 2 Tbs. of oil and 1 Tbs. of butter in pan with remaining oil and butter, cook the other 2 pieces of chicken the same way as the first two.

8. Remove chicken from pan add the final 2 Tbs. of olive oil, 2 Tbs. of butter, chicken stock and lemon juice (remove from heat to add these ingredients to avoid splattering and grease burns).

9. Bring sauce mixture to boil, then reduce to simmer.

10. Add all 4 chicken pieces back in to the pan with the sauce and let simmer for a minute or 2, coating each chicken piece in sauce.

11. Plate the angel hair pasta first, topped with chicken and remaining sauce.

12. Top with fresh lemon slices and capers if you have them.

13. You're gonna love it!