WEST ORANGE, NJ — Spanish teacher Juan Roncero donned an apron on Jan. 18 to prepare tortillas de patatas, an authentic Spanish meal prepared with potatoes, eggs and onions, for Spanish Club students at West Orange High School.
As part of the immersion experience, Roncero conducted the lesson entirely in Spanish, assisted by club adviser Susan Leon-Guerrero. The meal was prepared in a kitchen classroom as students followed the process of cooking the tortilla. Different than a Mexican tortilla, the Spanish tortilla is more like an omelette while a Mexican tortilla is more like a thin, flat pancake.
The recipe includes three large potatoes, six large eggs, an onion, extra virgin olive oil and salt. Roncero began by thinly slicing the potatoes and onions and sauteeing them in enough olive oil to easily cook them over medium heat, using salt for seasoning. He beat the eggs and combined the ingredients to cook in a large frying pan. Once the mixture was cooked on one side he flipped the omelette to the other side with a plate. When the omelette was browned on both sides the tortillas de patatas were ready to eat.
Amid a round of applause, students were able to sample the dish, which was determined to be “very, very good” by club members.
Photos Courtesy of WOSD
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