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San Pedro Del Pintar, Spain. Photo by: Rianna Loman

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Barcelona, Spain. Photo by: Marty Sheldrake

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Dirty Little Secrets...

FOOD FIND
In honor of winning the World Cup, this week’s Food Find goes to Spain! Tortilla Española is a traditional Spanish dish that is eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as a tapa. It is served hot, cold, or at room temperature. Basically, it’s acceptable to eat however you want, whenever you want, which, once you taste it, could be quite often. When eaten as a meal, it is traditionally served with a mixed salad and some fresh crusty bread. My personal favorite is a freshly made tortilla that has been cooled off to room temperature. In Spain, you’ll find this dish on every tapas menu you see, and if you don’t you should probably go somewhere else! Many people confuse the tortilla, also known as tortilla de patatas, with the Italian frittata, but the two are not the same. The Spanish tortilla is cooked only in a pan on the stovetop, not baked in the oven. The tortilla de patatas is also much different than the Mexican tortilla, which is in an entirely different category of food! The tortilla española is quite thick (about an inch) and consists mostly of potatoes that have been thinly sliced and cooked in oil. The entire thing is bound together by egg and flavored with onion, salt and pepper, and is gently fried on both sides, until brown and crisp. It is moist, but not wet, on the inside, and holds together well, but is not rubbery. It is traditionally served in slices, or wedges, like a pie. A properly made tortilla is not only delicious, but quite satisfying too, and a great food to eat or make on the cheap, since it originated from the poor. It’s also a fun dish because you can adapt the ingredients to your liking. Popular additions are ham, spinach, and green and red bell pepper. If you can’t make it to Spain anytime soon, just try out the below recipe. No matter what you put in it or when or how you eat it, the tortilla española is a great way for the budget traveler to enjoy a delicious taste of Spain!

Tortilla Española

1 cup olive oil

four large potatoes (peel and cut into small pieces about 2mm thick)

salt to taste

one large onion, thinly sliced

four large eggs

Some people add thin slices of red pepper together with the onion.

Heat the oil in a 9-inch skillet, add potato pieces, one slice at a time so that they don't stick. Alternate layers of potato and onion. COOK slowly, medium flame. DO NOT FRY!! Turn occasionally until potatoes are tender, but NOT brown. They must be loose, not "in a cake".

Beat eggs in a large bowl with a fork. Salt to taste. Drain potatoes. Add potatoes to beaten eggs, pressing them so that eggs cover them completely. Let sit for 15 minutes. Heat 2 tbsps of the oil in large skillet. Add potato-egg mixture, spreading quickly. Lower the heat to medium-high. Shake pan to prevent sticking (crucial step!!) When potatoes start to brown, put a plate on top skillet and flip to cook other side, adding another tbsp of oil. Brown on the other side. Can flip three or four times for better cooking.

*Photo from farm3.static.flickr.com

*Recipe from Dean Derhak at www.xmission.com/~dderhak/recipes.html

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Photo of the Day...

Barcelona, Spain. Photo by: Laura McTernan

Hostel of the Week...

THE SANT JORDI SAGRADA FAMILIA is comfortable accommodation located in the outskirts of beautiful Barcelona. The rooms here are apartment style, which makes for a more private alternative to your typical hostel. The apartments come in single, double, and four bed rooms; each has a kitchen, living room, laundry room, balcony, and television. In addition to great rooms, the hostel has a friendly staff that will help you make the most out of your visit to Barcelona. The neighborhood around the hostel is incredibly safe and also offers a variety of cafes, restaurants, and markets. Since the apartment has a kitchen, why not cook in your room? For those who have come to Barcelona to experience the nightlife, join the Saint Jordi staff for an organized trip to a popular nightclub or restaurant. Musician? Ask the front desk for use of their guitar. There are so many upsides to the Sant Jordi that the only downside may be its location. It is about a fifteen-minute metro ride into the center of town. But when you consider what you gain in security and overall feel of the Sant Jordi Sagrada Familia, you wont mind the commute into town the least bit.

Three reasons to stay at the SANT JORDI SAGRADA FAMILIA:

1. The rooms. Since you are staying in apartments–– by the time you check out–– you will have felt as if you have lived in Barcelona rather than just visited.
2. Safety. Let’s be honest––Barcelona is a big city and could be dangerous. Being in a quiet neighborhood, in the outskirts of town is just a better alternative.
3. Great staff with hospitality. St. Jordi has a “hotel” feel at a hostel price.

http://www.santjordihostels.com/