The Perfect Tortilla (Española)

There are a few dishes that I can say I'm an expert on. One of them is, of course, ceviche. Another one is the perfect rib eye steak, and there's always my scrumptious jambalaya. So I figured that if I want to increase my cooking repertoire, I have to get another Diva signature dish under my belt. So, after several tries, I have finally conquered the tortilla Española. So my friend, give this a try. The best thing about this recipe is that you can make it the day before or even the morning of, and it will be fantastic.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 6 - 8 as an appetizer)

• Olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 small green bell pepper or half of a large one, thinly sliced into 2" pieces
• 1 small red bell pepper or half of a large one, thinly sliced into 2" pieces
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 6 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" chunks
• 6 large eggs or 5 XL eggs
• Kosher salt
• Ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

In a cast iron skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil on medium-high heat. Add chopped onions and cook for 4 minutes. Lower heat to medium-low and add bell peppers (green and red) and chopped garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper, and cook slowly for 10 more minutes. Set aside in a bowl.

Wipe the skillet and add about 1/2 cup of olive oil and heat on medium-high. Once the olive oil starts to shimmer a little, add all the diced potatoes and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Toss for a two minutes then lower heat to medium-low. Put a lid on skillet or cover with the skillet with a plate and let potatoes cook for 15 minutes--just remember to keep tossing every 5 minutes or so. You want the potatoes to cook through yet not be mushy. Drain the potatoes on a colander and set aside.

In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a bit more black pepper. Mix potatoes, onions and peppers lightly, until well combined and set aside.

In a 10 inch non-stick skillet, add 1 teaspoon olive oil on medium-high heat. Add the potato/egg mixture and pat down. Let cook for 3 minutes then lower heat to medium-low again and cover. Let it cook for about 15 minutes, checking the sides to make sure it doesn't get burnt.

Place a plate over the top of skillet and flip it over (see movie below).

Cook the tortilla on the other side also on medium-low for another 10 minutes. Once tortilla is done, slide it into to your serving plate and let it cool down to room-temperature. The tortilla tastes best at room temperature and with a side of aioli. Buen provecho!

Diva's Amazing (and super easy) Aioli Sauce

• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• The juice of half of a lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup Best Foods Mayo
• Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl and place in fridge for a few hours for flavors to marry. Serve at room temperature with the tortilla.