SPANISH TORTILLA WITH GARLIC AÏOLI

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Boasting meltingly tender potatoes in a dense, creamy omelet, a Spanish tortilla is an immensely appealing tapas bar favorite. But it’s very easy to make at home. Garlic is often included in the omelet, but we liked the idea of topping the tortilla with a garlicky aïoli instead, the creaminess of which beautifully complemented the potatoes and eggs. We upped the flavor ante of the tortilla even further by adding green peas and roasted red peppers. To flip the omelet, we slid it onto a plate, put another plate on top, flipped the setup, and then slid it back into the skillet—a potentially messy task made foolproof. Spanish tortillas are often served as a snack, but this would work just as well alongside a salad as a light entrée. You will need a 10-inch nonstick skillet with a tightfitting lid for this recipe. Since the egg yolks in the aïoli are not cooked, ¼ cup Egg Beaters may be substituted, if you prefer.

Serves: 4 to 6

Total time: 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

AÏOLI:

• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon water, plus extra as needed
• ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ⅛ teaspoon sugar
• Salt and pepper
• ¾ cup vegetable oil

TORTILLA

• 6 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, quartered, and cut into ⅛-inch-thick slices
• 1 small onion, halved and sliced thin
• Salt and pepper
• 8 large eggs
• ½ cup jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed, patted dry, and cut into ½-inch pieces
• ½ cup frozen peas, thawed

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. For the aïoli: Process egg yolks, garlic, lemon juice, water, mustard, sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt in blender until combined, about 10 seconds, scraping down sides of blender jar as needed. With blender running, slowly add oil and process until mayonnaise is emulsified, about 2 minutes. Adjust consistency with extra water as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Aïoli can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
2. For the tortilla Toss: ¼ cup oil, potatoes, onion, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper together in bowl. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add potato mixture to skillet and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook, stirring every 5 minutes, until potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes.
3. Whisk eggs and ½ teaspoon salt together in now-empty bowl, then gently fold in cooked potato mixture, red peppers, and peas. Make sure to scrape all of potato mixture out of skillet.
4. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add egg mixture and cook, shaking skillet and folding mixture constantly for 15 seconds. Smooth top of egg mixture, reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook, gently shaking skillet every 30 seconds, until bottom is golden brown and top is lightly set, about 2 minutes.
5. Off heat, run heatproof rubber spatula around edge of skillet and shake skillet gently to loosen tortilla; it should slide around freely in skillet. Slide tortilla onto large plate, then invert onto second large plate and slide back into skillet browned side up. Tuck edges of tortilla into skillet with rubber spatula. Continue to cook over medium heat, gently shaking skillet every 30 seconds, until second side is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Slide tortilla onto cutting board and let cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature with aïoli.