Outdoor Cooking & Charcoal Oven Recipes / Bake

Spanish tortilla with potatoes, egg and onion cooked in the Charlie Oven

Cooked in the Charlie Charcoal Oven

Spanish Tortilla

This classic Spanish tortilla, or tortilla de patatas, is made with potatoes, eggs, onion and plenty of good olive oil. The potatoes are cooked gently in the Charlie Oven until tender, then mixed with the eggs and finished closer to the charcoal. You're looking for a lightly golden outside and a soft, almost creamy centre. It's simple food, but getting the potatoes and final cook right makes all the difference. Serve warm or at room temperature as part of a Spanish spread, with pan con tomate, pintxos or simply a good salad.

Tresillian HouseCharlie Oven Retreat, Cornwall
Bake
Prep20 minutes
Cook1 hour
Serves6 to 8
DifficultyMedium
Oven temperature170 to 180°C (340 to 355°F)
RackOvenproof pans on the middle rack for the potatoes, then the tortilla pan on the lower rack, closer to the charcoal
CharcoalAbout half a football of good quality lumpwood charcoal

Charlie Oven — https://charlieoven.com/en-us/blogs/charcoal-recipes/spanish-tortilla-recipe

Share

EmailPin this recipe

Ingredients

Ingredients

Equipment

Method

Set up your Charlie Oven

  1. Light your Charlie Oven with lumpwood charcoal and bring it to 170 to 180°C (340 to 355°F).
  2. Position a rack around the middle of the oven to start. You'll move the tortilla lower and closer to the charcoal for the final cook.

Cook the potatoes

  1. Cook the potatoes

    Peel the potatoes and cut into slices around 5 to 7mm thick.
  2. Put them into an ovenproof pan with enough olive oil to coat them well. You want the potatoes to cook gently in the oil rather than roast or become crisp.
  3. Place on the middle rack of the Charlie, close the door and cook for 25 to 35 minutes.
  4. Gently turn the potatoes a couple of times during cooking. They should be completely tender but still holding their shape, with very little colour.

Cook the onion

  1. Cook the onion

    Thinly slice the onion and put it into a separate ovenproof pan with 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
  2. Cook in the Charlie for around 20 minutes until completely soft and sweet.
    20 min timer

Mix the tortilla

  1. Mix the tortilla

    Crack the eggs into a large bowl, add the salt and beat lightly.
  2. Drain the excess oil from the potatoes, then gently fold the warm potatoes and cooked onion through the eggs. Try not to break the potatoes up too much.
  3. Leave the mixture to sit for around 15 minutes.
    15 min timer
    Why this mattersThis gives the potatoes time to absorb some of the egg and helps create the lovely soft texture you want in a Spanish tortilla.

Cook the tortilla

  1. Cook the tortilla

    Move a rack lower in the Charlie, closer to the charcoal.
    Why this mattersUse the different heat zones in the Charlie to your advantage. Cook the potatoes gently on the middle rack, then move the tortilla closer to the charcoal for the final few minutes. You get colour on the outside without having to overcook the middle.
  2. Add 1 tsp olive oil taken from the listed allowance to your 24cm pan if needed, then pour in the tortilla mixture.
  3. Cook for around 3 to 5 minutes. Use the time only as a guide: the underside should be set and lightly golden, the edges should look cooked and hold their shape, but the centre should still be visibly soft. If the tortilla looks fully set before you turn it, it has gone too far.
  4. Place a large plate over the pan and carefully turn the tortilla out onto it. Slide it back into the pan and return it to the Charlie.
  5. Cook the second side for around 2 to 4 minutes, checking early. You only need enough time to set and lightly colour the outside. The centre should remain soft rather than firm.
  6. The tortilla is ready when the outside is set and lightly golden but the centre still has a gentle wobble when you move the pan. Don't wait for the middle to feel firm: the eggs will continue to set from the residual heat as the tortilla rests. For a softer centre, take it out as soon as the edges are set and the middle still trembles slightly; for a firmer tortilla, give it another minute or two.
    Why this mattersFollow the texture rather than the clock. Charlie's heat can vary slightly depending on the fire and rack position, so the visual cues are more reliable than an exact cooking time.
  7. Remove from the pan and leave to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.

More recipes

The cook

Tresillian House

Charlie Oven Retreat, Cornwall

Tresillian House is a beautiful country house in Cornwall and the home of our annual Charlie Oven retreat. With great food, warm hospitality and a stunning setting, it’s the perfect place to cook, connect and be inspired.

More recipes by Tresillian House

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Spanish tortilla need onion?

    There's a long-running Spanish debate about whether onion belongs in a tortilla. We're firmly in the onion camp, but you can leave it out if you prefer.

    You can also add a little sliced chorizo, piquillo pepper or Manchego, although don't go mad. The potatoes, eggs and olive oil should still be doing most of the work.

  • What do you serve with Spanish tortilla?

    Spanish tortilla is just as good at room temperature as it is warm, so it's a brilliant dish for feeding a crowd.

    Serve it with pan con tomate, roasted peppers, a few pintxos and a simple green salad. Or cut it into small squares and serve as part of a larger Spanish spread.

  • What's the difference between Spanish tortilla and Mexican tortilla?

    Spanish tortilla is also known as tortilla española or tortilla de patatas. Unlike a Mexican tortilla, it isn't a flatbread. It's a thick Spanish omelette made principally from potatoes, eggs and olive oil.

    For the best texture, make it on the day you want to eat it and keep the centre soft rather than cooking the eggs until completely firm.