While in the United States, the word 'tortilla' has become synonymous with the unleavened, thin bread used in tacos and burritos, the Spanish tortilla is completely different.
Since arriving in Spain, I have eaten plenty a tortilla at many different times of the day. Spanish tortilla is a potato and egg omelette, usually served in triangular slices. Some tortillas may contain onions as well. In fact, the question of whether a traditional tortilla should contain onions or not is a big source of debate among the high school students I teach!
While just a slice, the tortilla is honestly a pretty nutritious meal. It contains lots of protein from the eggs and is filling from the carbohydrates of the potatoes. There have been times where I have gone out for tapas and my dinner for the night was a slice of tortilla and some bread. Tortilla is also a special food for me because my abuela (grandmother) and mom have cooked tortilla at home before. My mom and abuela are Cuban, but my bisabuelos (great-grandparents) were from España. Therefore, my bisabuela's (great-grandmother's) tortilla recipe has survived the many moves across continents and generational gaps.
