Adapted from Alison Roman
Serves 6–8
For the tortilla:
1 1/2 lb. yukon gold potatoes, peeled, sliced ¼” thick
1 medium yellow onion,thinly sliced
Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper
2 cups olive oil
6–7 large eggs
For the aioli:
1 large egg yolk
1 cup reserved olive oil, from cooking potatoes and onions
1–2 cloves garlic, grated
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar, white
distilled vinegar, or lemon juice
Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon hot, sweet or smoked paprika
In a small, narrow pot, layer the potatoes and onions, seasoning with salt as you go.
Add 2 cups of olive oil, or more if needed to totally submerge the potatoes and onions. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat (you should see only a few tiny bubbles – it should never look like it’s sizzling or frying) and reduce heat to low. Continue to cook until the potatoes are totally cooked through (but without falling apart), 15–20 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk eggs and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl until well blended; set aside.
When potatoes are tender, remove with a slotted spoon, draining and reserving oil. Place the oil in the fridge to allow to cool enough to be used in the aioli (It will need to reach room temperature).
Allow potatoes to cool and then add to egg mixture (or slowly add hot potatoes to egg mixture so eggs can get tempered). Gently mix everything together using a spatula or your hands, taking care not to break the potatoes apart. Season again with salt and pepper.
Cook tortilla: Add 2 tablespoons of leftover oil into an 8″ nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully add the egg mixture, smoothing the top with a spatula, giving the skillet a few shakes so everything settles evenly. Reduce heat to medium and use your spatula to scrape up the bottom a few times to bring the uncooked egg to the bottom of the pan. Give it another shake to let everything settle once more, then let it continue to cook, shaking occasionally, until the edges are set, the sides and underside are nicely browned (you can peek on the underside to see that the bottom is browning to your liking) and the whole thing easily pulls away from the sides of the skillet, 5 or so minutes.
Flip the tortilla by placing a plate or platter larger than the skillet over the skillet. Then, using a dish towel to hold the sides of the skillet firmly, flip the tortilla onto the platter. Alternatively, place the pan into a 450-F oven for 5-7 minutes until the top is browned and the tortilla is set.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet, and return it back to medium-high heat. Gently slide the tortilla off the plate back into the skillet, cooked/browned side up. Use a spatula to gently tuck the sides underneath the tortilla to make everything nice and round. Rinse platter and set aside.
Cook another 2–3 minutes or until the bottom is set and nicely golden brown. Slide the tortilla back onto the platter and let it rest while you make the aioli.
Carefully slide the tortilla from the skillet onto a cutting board or plate.
To make the aioli: Place egg yolk in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in a few teaspoons of the (cooled) reserved oil. Whisk
a little bit more oil, stopping to make sure it’s fully emulsified each time. Add garlic, and then thin it out with a little sherry vinegar, white distilled vinegar, or lemon juice. Whisk in more oil until you’ve used about a cup, adjusting with water, more vinegar, and garlic as needed to keep it thick but not too thick, garlicky, and well seasoned.
Cut tortilla into thick wedges, and serve with a dollop of aioli and dusting of paprika.
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