Spanish Egg White Omelette

Spanish Omelette is the English name for a traditional Spanish dish called Tortilla Espanola or Tortilla de Patatas. It is basically an omelette using eggs, potatoes, onions/chives and garlic. 

According to legend, Spanish Omelette was created when during the siege of Bilbao in the Spanish Civil War in 1937, General Tomas de Zumalacarregui was in the field and happened to come across a farmhouse and demanded a meal from the farmwife. All she had were a few eggs, potatoes and onions, so she combined all three, making an omelette (necessity is the basis for most inventions/creations, isn't it?). Surprisingly, General Zumalacarregui was pleased and took the recipe idea with him.   

Omelettes are one of the most easiest quickest meals to prepare. You can throw in any ingredients you like with basic seasonings and pour in your beaten eggs, and you have a nutritious protein-rich meal. In this post, I made an omelette using only egg-whites as I am very put off by the strong egg smell and taste of the eggs in Singapore.

I didn't have whole egg objections while living in America, but I do in Singapore. My husband Anand says it is because of the chicken feed. I thought I was the odd one feeling this way but apparently a friend and fellow Book Club member Anu feels the same way about Singapore eggs too. She said she could eat eggs in India but she can't here because of its egginess. I believe vegetarians build up a strong sense of smell over time so that they can tell the difference between non-veg and veg.

​I have used potatoes with skin for fibre and for still keeping the nutrition under its skin and since I only had basil leaves, instead of chives, I had to make do with them.   

​Ingredients (for a 9 inch omelette)
5 tbsps olive oil
6 eggs, egg yolks discarded
1 large yellow onion, sliced thinly
​2 medium potatoes, sliced thinly with or without skin
​6-8 big Basil Leaves (or 12 small) and extra for garnish
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
​1/2 tsp Chilli flakes and extra for garnish
​Salt & Pepper 

​Method  
​1) Heat the EVOO and fry the sliced yellow onion for 3-5 minutes on medium heat.    

2) Add the sliced potatoes, basil leaves, sliced red capsicum, salt and pepper.

3) Let the vegetables cook for 15 mins on medium heat, stirring often so that the potatoes don't stick.

4) Season the egg whites with salt and pepper and beat very well till fluffy. Then, pour in the egg whites  into the pan. Add in the halved cherry tomatoes, cut side up,  and submerge them in the egg whites so they don't fall out when you flip the cooked omelette later.

5) Cover and cook on low heat for 5-10 mins. 

6) When the sides are crisp and omelette moves on the pan when you tilt it, the bottom is cooked. 

7) Flip over using a wide spatula and cook for another 3-5 mins.

8) Garnish with chilli flakes and more basil leaves. Cut into 4 big quarters or 8 medium wedges.

9) Enjoy your Spanish Egg-White Omelette on its own or with your favourite breakfast accompaniments.