Why do you have to go to Betanzos to eat tortilla?
In Spain the omelette it is so entrenched that one could divide the population over this recipe: there are the sincebollistas and the concebollistas , two irreconcilable sides that the only thing they have in common is their love for this dish.
But we can also divide Spain between the lovers of well curdled tortilla and supporters of juicy tortilla to a greater or lesser extent . The south tends to belong to the first camp, with dense tortillas , curdled and usually taller; the north, generalizing, tends to be more prone to juicy tortillas. And in the middle there are always those who, neither too much nor too little, decide for creamy tortillas, full-bodied but not solid.
I have always been, however, one of those who think that why choose, being able to try all types. Each one has the grace of him, when he is well prepared. So, although to begin with they throw me more the little curdled tortillas, they don't take away options like the one from Alhambra of Valencia , the one from ** Juan José de Huelva ** or the whiskey omelette from Triana ** Casa Cuesta **.
Still, when it comes to tortillas, there is one town that automatically comes to mind: Betanzos . And like any excuse, it's a good one to hit the road, especially if at a gastronomic offer appetizing is joined by a monumental complex that is worth strolling aimlessly through, it is worth stopping here.
Potato omelette almost Betanzos style at the Juan José de Huelva restaurant
BUT, WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT THE BETANZOS TORTILLA?
Two things: the quality of the raw material and the technique . A good one potato omelette from Betanzos should be made with Galician potato – right now the ones from the Kennebec variety They are the easiest to find on the market. quality eggs and a **good extra virgin olive oil**, that is not spoiled by overuse or contaminated by other flavors. So far nothing particularly complicated.
In terms of technique, what we are looking for is a not very tall tortilla, barely golden on the outside , Y little curd inside . Some call them coulant tortillas because, if they are well prepared, when they are cut the interior tends to spill little by little on the plate.
Sorry: the Betanzos tortilla does NOT have onion
But here we have to stop. Because who wants a raw egg omelette? Here is the key: in keep it runny and cooked at the same time . And although it seems impossible, it is something that can be achieved and that, in my opinion, differentiates a great omelette from the rest.
The egg curdles between 61 and 65º of temperature . If we manage to move in that range of degrees we will get a more or less fluid texture , between the almost liquid and the creamy, having cooked the egg. I don't say it science says so.
It is the same theory that is behind the mollet eggs or of the soft-boiled eggs . With 3 minutes the clear is honeyed and the yolk liquid, with 4 the white is firmer and the yolk almost spreadable … Those are the times that each of the parties needs to pass from the 60º.
So, knowing this, things are not as simple as getting curdle the outside and leave the inside raw but it requires a lot of hand, years of experience, to get the desired point, with the barely golden exterior and the interior cooked but juicy at the exact point and, above all, warm . The worst thing that can happen is to find a tortilla with a cold inside.
This is the visual definition of how sexy cooking can be.
And one more rule: no onion . Not in Betanzos, at least. As much as one is, like me, a declared concebollista , the rules of the municipal tortilla contest establish, since 2018, that the Betanzos omelette does not have onion.
And this is because the oldest recipe that is handled in the city, among which we can date, does not use it. It's about the Angelita Rivera's recipe , what in 1910 opened the restaurant La Casilla , where she began to prepare the recipe that her mother had inherited from her grandmother. A similar recipe, by the way, to the one that in 1905 the famous Hash published in The Practical Kitchen, the classic of Galician cuisine.
So we have a more than century-old recipe in a town of medieval origin. What could go wrong? We just need to decide where to try the famous betanceira tortilla.
THE BETANZOS TORTILLA ROUTE IN BETANZOS
The hardest part is choosing. in Betanzos , with about 13,000 inhabitants, every year about 25 local . The figure gives an idea of how important this recipe is in the local imagination and, above all, of the number of places where it is possible to order a more than worthy omelette. But since you have to start somewhere, these are some of our favorites.
tortilla alley . It is officially known as Journey of Progress and it is at the epicenter of everything that happens in the city. On one side is the Irmáns Garcia Naveira Square with its terraces. To the other, the Porta da Vila and the climb to the historic center. Just behind, the Fonte de Unta tavern area.
Perfection is this tortilla
They are just 140 meters of alley. And in them are four of the essential names of the local tortillerío. Difficult to decide. They are there Meson O Pot and ** Casa Miranda **, two of the classics, and along with them two others that have recently had quite an impact on the contest: To Hidden Tavern Y Inn O Progress .
A few meters further, in the alley of Venela Campos , this To Tixola , another of the taverns with a good omelette that, moreover, is served here in pincho format, something that does not always happen in the town.
And if we go down to To Cañota , with its colorful balconies overlooking the River Mandeo, we can stop at O Lamp , another one of those usual eating houses where the tortilla has a deserved fame.
The excellent omelette of Casa Miranda
Leaving towards the Madrid highway, two last tracks: Sinuessa Pizzeria . Yes, a pizzeria. It's worth stopping to try their tortilla. and a little further the box , where it all began.
But not only the urban center has great options. A place worth knowing is Tome House , also known as A Casa das Omelette , in case more signs are needed, which is located just over 3 km from the center, in Coiros . The interesting thing here is that the tortillas are grilled.
BEYOND BETANZOS
Can there be a Betanzos tortilla outside of Betanzos? let's open that melon . And before the purists tear their clothes, let's clarify: let's say that there may be Betanzos-style tortillas. And indeed there are.
Let's assume that the Betanzos tortilla is limited to Betanzos and that whoever wants to try it should go there. That does not prevent there from being other tortillas from the same family, with very similar elaborations , in other places.
In Madrid , for example, some could be cited. But you don't have to go that far. A Coruña is there , one step away, just over 15 minutes by car. And the influence of Betanzos reaches the city.
There the tortillas tend to be a little less fluid, with an interior that is closer to creamy. But the relationship is obvious, so, as we are here to add and not to put up barriers , there are also some suggestions, in case the provincial capital catches you passing through.
O Remo's omelette , on the esplanade of Or Parrote in A Coruña, Facing the port, it is one of those with the largest number of unconditional fans. At the same level of popularity is that of the Pontejos , a traditional bar in front of the San Agustín market, which has the advantage that offers the tortilla in pincho format and not only by units.
Another one that cannot be missed is the skewer of the **Siboney de la Calle Ferrol**. Freshly made and accompanied by a wonderful coffee, this tortilla is part of one of those breakfasts that cannot be missed if you spend the night in the city.
the of the Cabana Bar , a stone's throw from the National Museum of Science and Technology (MUNCYT), is another one you shouldn't miss. Like the one at the ** Taberna Cunqueiro , the Pulpeira de Melide , La Penela or Mesón or Bó **, not to make the list much longer.
No one resists the Siboney tortilla
And, on the way to the airport, you can stop to try the tortilla in a place that is halfway between a restaurant and a sociological phenomenon. Perhaps because of ** Casa Manolo ** many do not know how to give you directions, but if you ask for Manolo do Raxo, Manolo do Burgo or by the site it serves tortilla and raxo (sautéed pork loin with potatoes) at the foot of the airport everyone in the area will tell you.
Upon arrival you will find a place without a label (thanks, Google Maps, for existing for cases like this) which you access by a bar of all life. The agglomeration will surely make you realize that there is something here that is not so many other places.
If you're lucky, you'll be taken straight into the huge and often crowded dining room. If you arrive at rush hour, they will give you an appointment and ask you to wait. Once inside, although there is some other option, 99% of the clientele decides on a single menu: tortilla with lettuce and tomato salad and raxo. And for dessert, flan.
No more is needed. That and some prices more than content. the raxo It's fine but, even if it's the one that gives the place its name, I I keep the tortilla . Juicy but not excessively, with a good proportion of potato and lightened by the salad. The perfect place to end the route.