Spanish Tortilla, (Monique-style!)

We are getting ready for another exciting adventure in Spain walking the Camino.  This year we will be visiting Barcelona (the Catalan Way), Zaragosa, Bilbao (the Northern Way), Oviedo, Lugo (the Primitive Way) and then we begin our journey on the French Way into Santiago.  We will walk four different ways on this trip.  We are looking forward to this great opportunity and once again enjoying all the beauty that Spain has to offer along the way.  One of the best ways to enjoy Spain is through their food:  tortillas, paellas, tapas, flans, tinto de verano, etc., etc.  Since I love to cook, I am always experimenting with new ingredients to an old recipe.  Below is my recipe for tortilla using yams instead of potatoes.  Enjoy!!  Buen Camino!

Spanish Tortilla with a twist

3-4 large yams, peeled
1-2 onions, slices
6 slices thick bacon
5-6 large eggs
salt and pepper
olive oil

Cut the peeled yams in half lengthwise.  Lay the flat side down and slice the yam thinly.  Make sure to separate the pieces that stick together.  It is not necessary to slice paper thin, and it is best not to use a food processor for this task.  Place in a bowl.

Slice the onions in half moons.  Add to the yams and toss with salt and pepper.

Fry up the bacon to render the fat and semi-cook the bacon.  Drain off the fat, wipe the skillet clean and pour in olive oil to cover the bottom of the skillet. Break the bacon up into small pieces and toss with the yam and onion mixture.

Heat the oil and gently place the yam/onion mixture into the skillet, spreading evenly over the entire skillet.  Turn down the heat so the mixture does not burn.

Leave in the pan until the yams are cooked.  Poke with a spatula and if they break apart, they are finished.

Drain the mixture in a colander over a bowl to catch the olive oil drippings.  In another bowl mix the eggs.  Once the yams have drained, add them to the egg mixture and toss gently.

Reheat the olive oil from the drained mixture and add the yam/onion/bacon/egg mixture to the skillet.  Spread out evenly and allow the egg mixture to cook around the edges.  Once this is done, place a large platter over the skillet and very carefully flip the skillet over and the tortilla will fall out.  It will still be runny inside, but the bottom and edges should be solid.  Add more olive oil to the skillet and gently slide the tortilla back into the skillet to finish the cooking on the other side.  

Once cooked through, remove from heat and slide the tortilla onto another clean platter.  Allow to rest and serve room temperature with garlic mayo.  To make the garlic mayo, roast a head of garlic, wrapped in foil, in the oven until soft, squeeze the cloves into a bowl, mash well and add your favorite mayo to the mixture.