Spanish Tortilla Ramen
The Spanish tortilla is one of those dishes where the genius is entirely in the restraint. You have eggs, you have potatoes, you have olive oil, and somehow Spain turned those three things into something that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or straight out of the pan at midnight, which is maybe the most appealing quality in a recipe. This version adds ramen noodles to the egg-and-potato mixture before it sets, which sounds like a strange move until you eat it and realize the noodles give the tortilla exactly the kind of body it was always capable of. The smoked paprika broth underneath isn't traditional but it belongs here. It makes the whole bowl feel like dinner instead of breakfast, which you can take or leave depending on the hour.
Potatoes give way—ramen sets in the egg pan—Madrid never knew
Let Me Tell You...
My understanding of the Spanish tortilla came in stages.
First I thought it was a flatbread, which is embarrassing.
Then I ate one in the back of a bar in Granada that had been sitting under a glass dome for what looked like several hours and was still the best thing I ate that entire trip, which changed my view considerably.
The tortilla española is patient food.
It doesn't need you to rush it.
Hot potato will scramble your eggs before the pan does.
The noodles go in raw after the potato is cooked, mixed directly into the egg batter.
They absorb some of the egg as everything sets, which means the finished tortilla has this layered thing happening where every bite has a different texture.
It's not a neat or perfect dish.
The edges get more done than the middle.
That's correct. That's the whole point.
The version where everything is identical throughout is not the version that tastes good.
The flip is the hard part and a sticky pan will ruin your afternoon.
The smoked paprika broth is four ingredients in a pot for ten minutes, and it does something to the bowl that just serving the tortilla dry wouldn't accomplish.
It creates a dipping situation, a soaking situation, the kind of thing where the bottom of the bowl is the best bite.
If you're skeptical, make the broth anyway and taste it before you add it to the bowl.
You'll stop being skeptical.
Regular paprika will work but the smokiness is what makes the broth.
The tortilla slices clean when it's fully set and cooled to just above room temperature, which means patience is actually the technique here.
Cut it too hot and it falls apart.
Let it rest and it comes out in a clean wedge that looks like you knew what you were doing even when you weren't sure.
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs, beaten
- 4 ounces dried ramen noodles (1 brick, seasoning packet discarded), cooked for 2 minutes and drained
- 1 medium Yukon Gold potato (about 6 oz), peeled, quartered, and sliced thin
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons good-quality olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (pimentón de la Vera)
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons alioli or good-quality mayonnaise
Preparation
- Make the smoked paprika broth: Combine vegetable broth, tomato paste, smoked paprika, and garlic powder in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until tomato paste is dissolved. Simmer for 8-10 minutes until slightly reduced. Season with salt and keep warm.
- Cook potato and onion: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 10-inch nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add potato slices and onion, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10-12 minutes until potatoes are tender and lightly golden. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Partially cook ramen noodles in salted boiling water for 2 minutes (underdone), drain, and roughly chop with kitchen scissors into 3-inch pieces.
- Add chopped noodles to the potato-onion bowl. Pour beaten eggs over the mixture, add remaining salt and black pepper, and stir gently to combine. Let rest 2 minutes.
- Cook the tortilla: Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Pour in the egg mixture and spread evenly. Cook undisturbed for 6-7 minutes until the edges are set and the center is still slightly jiggly. Run a spatula around the edges to loosen.
- Flip the tortilla: Place a large plate face-down over the skillet. In one confident motion, invert the skillet so the tortilla lands on the plate. Slide the tortilla back into the skillet with the uncooked side down. Cook for 3-4 more minutes until fully set.
- Transfer tortilla to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut into wedges. Ladle warm smoked paprika broth into bowls, add a tortilla wedge, drizzle with alioli, and serve.