The ‘tortilla’ in Spain is an omelette. Sometimes cold, sometimes warm (if heated for you or if right out of the frying pan), substantial in weight, and extremely simple.
Served in a pizza shaped slice from a pie shaped omelette, the tortilla is simply: eggs, potatoes, and sometimes onions. That’s it. Don’t let it fool you though. While it may only have a few ingredients, and may be as common as pan (bread) in Spain it’s actually a quite time consuming dish to prepare (and a lot of oil is used in the preparation). This is why it’s a dish that is often pre-prepared and sits ready to serve, in restaurants, cafes, bars, and indeed anywhere you go in Spain (you can even buy them in the supermarket now).
Now, while I enjoy eggs and potatoes as much as the next girl (maybe more than the next girl since I can’t eat bread and potatoes are my gluten-free carb life-line) I crave variety. I’ve eaten probably a hundred servings of tortilla española in Spain (as it’s often the only thing I can eat that’s affordable and isn’t a salad or fried potatoes) and though I’ve thoroughly enjoyed them, after a couple months of this, you can imagine, I crave some variety in my life.
So you can imagine how delighted I was when I found THE PERFECT TORTILLA!
While searching for a spot to have an affordable lunch one day in Granada, I came across a place on a tiny street that held the most beautiful tortillas I had ever seen. Not only were they huge and displayed like layer cakes, but there were five different types piled with amazing toppings!
After months of eating fried potatoes or traditional tortilla española (the only two gluten free option that are super affordable and filling) at bars when I found myself desperate for food and nowhere near my apartment, the sight of these beauties (and the prices) made me almost weep with joy.
Salmon, bechamel, tomatoes and lettuce.
Tuna, cheese, white asparagus, lettuce and tomatoes………..
I couldn’t believe my luck.
My first order was the mushroom (champignon) tortilla and a cafe cortado (small coffee with only a tiny bit of milk). It was delicious! And huge. Almost bigger than I could finish.
My bill at the end of this feast was $3.60 (including coffee and service)
I loved my multi-ingredient tortilla pie so much that I came back to the cafe, Siete Gatos, the next day and ordered the Tuna version with a glass of white wine (with which I was served an additional free tapa dish).
Note: Free tapas are really good quality in Granada and they always serve some to you when you order an alcoholic beverage.
Needless to say, this spot became my daily lunch stop in between Spanish for my remaining three days in Granada. I tried every type of tortilla before I left, but my favorite was the mushroom.
It’s the little things that make you happiest, when you’ve been on the road a while……….. and for me, those ‘little things’ are often simply dishes I can eat at a cafe or restaurant that are naturally gluten-free, filling, and inexpensive.