VEGAN SPANISH TORTILLA DE PATATAS (SPANISH POTATO OMELET) AND ROMESCO SAUCE

This blog post is going to be truly short and sweet, as I am recuperating from my first cold in 2 years and trying to summon up enough energy to organize and clean my house, and plan menus and make-aheads for my holiday guests.

I want to share a brunch recipe from my new book, The World Vegan Feast. (Actually, you can serve it any time of the day, and it's often served as a bar snack in Spain.) It's a Spanish omelet that is similar to an Italian fritatta, but it always contains potato. In Spain this omelet is called a tortilla de patatas or tortilla española.

I had developed a tortilla española recipe earlier on, but I'm always trying to improve on recipes. I was in the mood for a hearty Spanish potato omelet one day when we were taking lunch over to our friends Jane and Matsuki's house. I chose to make this dish because it’s a perfect choice for toting to potluck meals and picnics, given that it can be eaten hot or at room temperature. It's also open to many variations-- for instance, you might want to add sliced roasted red bell peppers or cooked artichoke hearts.  But I thought that my recipe lacked something, so I changed my formula to add some chickpea flour-- bingo!  Firmer texture and more eggy flavor-- just what I was after.

Just a little aside about spelling: "Omelet" or "Omelette"?

This omelet was made a bit thicker than the one pictured above-- those are my friend Jane's cute little bluebird salt and pepper shakers peeking from behind.

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S TOFU AND CHICKPEA FLOUR TORTILLA DE PATATAS (SPANISH POTATO OMELET) WITH ROMESCO SAUCE
From my book “World Vegan Feast” © Bryanna Clark Grogan
Serves 4 to 6

This recipe may become a staple in your house, as it is in ours. The Romesco Sauce (a vegan version of a classic Spanish sauce), though not traditionally served with this, is a tangy, nutty, tomato-ey surprise! (NOTE: This is not Spanish, but another excellent condiment to serve with the tortilla, is Ajvar, a Balkan eggplant and pepper sauce [my recipe is posted here], widely available, in mild or hot versions, in ethnic grocery stores and gourmet stores, and online).

1 tablespoon olive oil

Batter:

8 ounces (1 cup) medium-firm tofu, or extra-firm silken tofu, drained and crumbled

1/4 cup nondairy milk

1/4 cup chickpea flour (besan)

3 tablespoons unbleached white flour (or 2 tablespoons brown rice flour)

1 tablespoon dry sherry, white wine or water

2 tablespoons Homemade Tofu Scrambler Mix (see recipe below)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Additions:

1 large onion, thinly sliced

4 medium cooked thin-skinned potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick

freshly-ground black pepper

9 slices commercial vegan "ham" or "bacon"cut into thin slivers

Romesco Sauce (see recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Add the olive oil to a 10-inch cast iron skillet or pie pan and place the pan in the oven while the oven heats up.

Blend all of the Batter ingredients in a food processor until very smooth. Scoop the Batter into a medium bowl and stir in the sliced "ham" or "bacon".

Add the sliced onion to the hot oil in the pan in the oven, salt lightly and toss it to coat with the oil, spreading it out evenly. Bake the onions for about 5 minutes. Transfer the onions to the Batter and fold in. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F.

Distribute the sliced cooked potatoes evenly in the same hot cast iron skillet or pie pan, brushed with a little more olive oil and spread the batter evenly over the potatoes and out to the edges of the pan. Grind black pepper over the top.

Bake the tortilla for 20 to 30 minutes or until the batter is set. Cool the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then loosen the bottom of the omelet carefully with a thin spatula-turner and cut it into 6 wedges. Eat warm with the Romesco Sauce served on the side. The leftovers are good cold and can be made into a delicious sandwich on crusty bread.

Nutrition FactsNutrition (per serving): 234.4 calories; 15% calories from fat; 4.2g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 707.5mg sodium; 829.8mg potassium; 25.9g carbohydrates; 2.7g fiber; 2.1g sugar; 23.2g net carbs; 23.5g protein; 4.5 points.

BRYANNA'S ROMESCO SAUCE
From my book “World Vegan Feast” © Bryanna Clark Grogan

Makes approximately 1 1/2 cups

There are many versions of this classic Spanish sauce of Catalonian origin, which is usually served with seafood, but we used my personal version the Spanish Potato Omelet, to our delight.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup chopped onions

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 cup slivered blanched raw almonds

1 large roasted red pepper from a jar, seeded, rinsed and patted dry

4 large sun-dried tomato halves in oil, rinsed with hot water and patted dry

5 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons dry sherry

1 tablespoon dry red wine

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon vegan broth powder

1 pinch cayenne pepper

Heat the oil in a small skillet and add the onion and garlic. Sauté over medium heat until the onion is wilted. Transfer the onions to a food processor along with the remaining ingredients. Process the mixture until smooth. Taste for salt. Serve at room temperature.

Nutrition (per 1/8^th recipe): 70.6 calories; 68% calories from fat; 5.7g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 77.0mg sodium; 95.5mg potassium; 3.4g carbohydrates; 0.8g fiber; 0.8g sugar; 2.6g net carbs; 1.4g protein; 1.7 points.


BRYANNA'S HOMEMADE TOFU SCRAMBLER MIX 
From my book “World Vegan Feast” © Bryanna Clark Grogan

1 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/3 cup onion powder
4 tsp curry powder
4 tsp salt
4 tsp turmeric
4 tsp ground cumin

Mix in a DRY blender. Store in a covered jar. Yield: 1 ¾ cups

Enjoy!