Tortilla de espárragos

Ingredients

• 1⅔ lbasparagusgreen or white; peeled, woody ends removed, cut into pieces
• 3spring onionscut into rings
• 7eggsbeaten
• 8¾ ozpotatoeswaxy; diced or coarsely grated
• 4 tbspoilfor frying
• 4⅔ ozserrano hamin strips, for topping
• saltto taste
• pepperto taste

Method

1. Prep the asparagus and onionsWash and peel the asparagus, trim off the woody ends and cut the spears into bite-sized pieces. Trim the spring onions and slice them into rings.
2. Peel and cut the potatoesPeel the potatoes and either dice them small or grate them coarsely, whichever you prefer.
3. Fry the vegetables until tenderHeat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan about 20 cm across. Add the asparagus, spring onions and potatoes and fry over medium heat until everything is tender. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Beat and season the eggsMeanwhile, beat the eggs in a bowl and season them generously with salt and pepper.
5. Let the eggs set, coveredPour the egg mixture evenly over the vegetables in the pan. Turn the heat down low, cover, and let the tortilla set until the top is almost firm.
6. Flip the tortilla and finishLay a lid or a large flat plate over the pan, flip the pan over in one confident movement, then slide the tortilla back into the pan, browned side up. Cook for another 2 to 4 minutes.
7. Slice and serve with hamSlide the tortilla onto a board, cut it into pieces and serve warm or cold, topped with the strips of serrano ham.

Tips and variations

White asparagus works just as well as green, and if you like it more tender, briefly precook the pieces in salted water first. You can stretch the egg mixture with 100 ml of vegetable stock or 125 ml of milk and a little nutmeg. If you leave out the potatoes, you're better off making two smaller tortillas one after the other. Not feeling brave about the flip? Cook the tortilla half covered for about 20 minutes and skip turning it altogether. An ordinary onion can stand in for the spring onions, and without the ham the whole thing becomes vegetarian. To serve, scatter over a few chervil leaves and add a little salad, or use fresh coriander instead.