Tortas

There are rare, incomparable meals I have eaten that embody the Platonic ideal of certain foods. At the time, all you can do is revel in their glory. You are ecstatic to have the experience of tasting such delectable perfection.

But then problems begin. No matter where you go, no matter how hard you search, you cannot find anything to replicate that original experience. Everything else you taste comes up short.

I once had the best fish and chips from a hole in the wall joint in Auckland, New Zealand. I subsequently spent the better part of three weeks attempting to replicate the experience. I searched all over the North and South Island. No dice.

The same thing happened in Mexico City. Across the street from the apartment where I lived, there was a hole in the wall (the best places always seem to be of the hole in the wall variety) taco place Chip's--pronounced cheeps in Spanish--which were a better version of Tim's.) In the intervening 12 years, I have yet to encounter a torta that is even in the same ballpark as Watsy's. They. Just. Don't. Compare.

called--of all things--Watsy Taco. For months my friends and I were regulars, and we always ordered the same thing: a chicken torta with cheese. (For a perfect pairing, consume with a green bag of jalapeño

To make a torta, it is best to have a very special type of soft, wide bread called a telera. I randomly encountered teleras in a Wilsonville Albertson's recently, and couldn't pass them up. For my first attempt at making tortas, I did not hope to achieve the apogee of the Watsy Torta. But the nice thing about a torta is that it will be still be delicious, even if you are not in Mexico City.

 Tortas

~Print Recipe~

• Telera rolls, cut in half and toasted-1 per person
• Refried black beans prepared, or homemade: diced onions, minced garlic, broth
• Chicken, or meat of your choice 
• Cheese
• Grilled onions
• Avocado slices
• Salsa
• Sour cream
• Cilantro
• Pickled jalapeños
• Other toppings of your choice (tomato, grilled peppers, etc)
• Spices, to taste

1.  Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add cumin, chipotle, chile powder, paprika, salt and pepper, etc. to taste. Add diced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add black beans and a couple tablespoons of broth. Mash the beans together.
2. Toast telera in a toaster oven or broiler. Cover one side with cheese, so it melts. 
3. Spread sour cream on one side and refried beans on the other. Build the sandwich by layering the meat, onions, avocado and other ingredients. Drizzle with salsa and top with telera.

Tortilla de Patatas

Spanish food is not very exciting. I know tapas bars are all the rage here in the U.S., but a lot of the tapas served here are variations on a theme, not exactly authentic. (One of my favorite Bay Area restaurants, Cesar, is a good example of taking tapas to a new level.)

Spanish food is not spicy (hot). Nor is it spiced much, other than with salt and pepper. It is not uncommon for Spaniards to make white rice and top it with a fried egg. When I lived in Spain, I would buy a canned mushroom pasta sauce, then sautee some onions and bell peppers with spices to add to it. My Spanish roommate just bought the plain tomato sauce. When he tried some of mine, the mushroom kind--before I added anything to it--he was blown away at how flavorful it was. Really. It had not occurred to him to get the mushroom kind until then. It was exotic.

Now, I'm not trying to be disparaging here, just telling you what I experienced. There are many things to love about Spanish food, for sure, but my absolute favorite Spanish dish is tortilla. It is only eggs, potatoes, onions, oil and salt, but it is fantastic. Comfort food. Savory and satisfying. (And improved by a dash of hot sauce. I'm sorry, I am from California--the land of ubiquitous Mexican food--and I am used to a little heat.) My favorite meal while living in Madrid was a hot bocadillo de tortilla from a little take out place near my apartment. It cost extra to add roasted pequillo peppers, but worth it. I'd run home and slather on a layer of Cholula (imported from back home) and enjoy every last bite. Especially on a wintry afternoon far from home.

Tortilla de Patata

~Print Recipe~

• 6 eggs
• 4 medium-small potatoes, cut into half-inch cubes.
• 1 onion, chopped
• Olive oil
• salt to taste

1. Heat plenty of oil in a large frying pan over medium. Add potatoes and fry for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add onion and fry for a few minutes, until translucent and potatoes are nearly cooked. Turn up the heat and fry until potatoes are done and slightly crunchy, a few minutes more.
2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and salt. With a slotted spoon drain potatoes, leaving extra oil in the pan. Add fried potatoes to the bowl with eggs. Pour off any extra oil, leaving a small amount in the pan to cook the egg mixture. 
3. Reheat the pan over medium. Add egg mixture and cook until mostly firm. (It will be undercooked on top.) Cover the frying pan completely with a very large plate. Here's the tricky part---quickly flip the frying pan over so the plate is on the bottom. Your tortilla is now on the plate. Slide the tortilla back into the pan, so that the undercooked side is now in the frying pan and the cooked side is up. 
4. Cook a couple of minutes more, until the bottom has browned and the tortilla is cooked through. 
5. Add salt and pepper to taste.

• Tortilla can be served hot or cold, which means it is just as good as leftovers. You can eat it as is, or turn it into a sandwich like we did.