French Fridays with Dorie: Basque Potato Tortilla~

For the moment, I’m on schedule with French Fridays with Dorie!  That doesn’t happen often, so I’m enjoying it while I can!  The recipe of the week comes from Around my French Table by Dorie Greenspan.  Just buy it.  You deserve it, and you know you want it.  Your family will thank you again and again!

Back to the dish…I cooked my potato mixture in one pan, and switched to a smaller pan for the actual tortilla making.  I reduced the recipe by half…that is, I only put half of the potatoes in the “tortilla”, which looks and cooks strangely like a Frittata, but we won’t tell!  I used half as many eggs as the recipe asked and poured the mixture into a smaller nonstick skillet, generously oiled with a good olive oil.   The edges bubbled up and set quickly, and with an adjustment to the heat, we had controlled cooking to set the remaining tortilla.

At this point we have the set edges, and just a jiggly center…time for the broiler!

I used the advice given about wrapping the handle of the pan with foil…that worked well.  I knew my cast iron skillet was jut too big for this dish halved.   I kept the broiler door open so I could control the contact with the heat.  In retrospect, I should have rotated the tortilla inside the pan so it got toasted all over on top.  Next time.  Because there will be a next time.

I didn’t have any problems with removing the tortilla from the pan.  I had been running the spatula around the edges as instructed, but just before going into the oven, I loosened the tortilla from the bottom too.  By that time the edges were completely set, and lightly browned.  A few minutes under the broiler, and we were ready to plate.

Tasting Notes~
This was easy, a bit time consuming, but not too bad, and it’s a great base to build on.  I was disappointed in the lack of flavor.  I seasoned my eggs with all of the ingredients, I seasoned my potatoes as well.  Still…it lacked a bit of something…umami.   We ate it fresh from the oven for brunch, and enjoyed it, but we were wanting for some other taste that simply wasn’t there.  I know eggs are great when Bruce doesn’t reach for Tabasco sauce.  This had him reaching for the ketchup as well…and me too, I’m almost ashamed to admit!  We both felt a bit of bacon or ham…sausage…something with a more pronounced flavor would be helpful.  Still…we wouldn’t hesitate to fix this again, but as more of a base element rather than the whole rodeo.

Thirty Minute Thursdays: Fusilli with sausage and cream~

Whenever I’m pressed for time, this recipe comes to mind… Fusilli with sausage and cream from Giuliano Hazan’s Thirty Minute Pasta… The sausage is made by hand with few ingredients…I wouldn’t worry about having a meat grinder.  Finely chop some pork in your food processor.  If you put it in the freezer, just until it gets firm but not at all hard, it will chop beautifully.  Mix the pork with the remaining ingredients and set aside.  I know Giuliano recommends letting it sit overnight.  That’s best, but it still works out great if it gets just a short marinating time.  This is another recipe that cooks very quickly and will be finished inside the 30 minutes, easily!

Tasting Notes~
As I said, this is a great quick supper meal.  It’s soothing…the cream makes it so comforting on a cold night!  I added a few mushrooms to this particular pan…we had fresh mushrooms from a kit, and it seemed like a nice place for them!  The cream and the cheese blend nicely into a sauce that pulls in the homemade sausage, and the fusilli captures a nice bit of sauce with a few bits of sausage for a lovely, creamy, soul-satisfying bite.

Look Who’s Cooking!
It’s official!  Abby has joined us for Thirty Minute Thursdays!  Welcome to you Abby!  Your dishes have been looking marvelous!  This week, Abby made Fusilli with Sausage and Zucchini, and it looks scrumptious!

Kayte from Grandma’s Kitchen Table made Penne with four cheeses… Kayte said, “my oh my oh my is this one decadent and delicious.  Did I say it was good?  Oh yeah, and by the way, this is really good.  Great really.”  If that’s not a huge recommendation for a recipe, I don’t know what is! LOL!  Love it Kayte!

If you’d like to join us, drop me an email, and send me your URL, if you’re a blogger.  Pick up a copy of Thirty Minute Pasta, and choose a recipe!  It doesn’t matter which day is your “30 minute” day.  I collect everyone’s posts for a round-up on Thursdays.  Tuesday is my “30 minute” day.  Check the sidebar for my email, and come cook with us!