Sweet Potato, Broad Bean & Feta Tortilla

Sweet Potato And Broad Bean Tortilla

With Greek Feta Cheese

Sweet Potatoes Are Not Potatoes!

Ipomea Batatas is a tuber related to Morning Glory, not to the nightshades, and therefore not to the potato, though the two have an extremely old common ancestor. Ipomea Batatas has several important properties:

Nutritional Notes

Despite their sweet taste, sweet potatoes have a lower glycaemic index than the white potato making it more suitable for people with type 2 diabetes

That said, the glycaemic index is still high ranging from 44 (medium category) to 94, definitely in the high group. Boiling reduces the index, while baking increases it. Worth bearing in mind

Though containing mainly starch, around 11% of this is resistant starch, broken down slowly to reduce the rate of entry into the blood-stream (the glycaemic index) and also feed you beneficial gut bacteria. Cooling after cooking, increases the resistant starch content. You’ll need to cool it down to 4C or even lower. And reheating increases resistance yet again!

Sweet potatoes also contain high levels of beta-carotene which your body can convert to vitamin A, as well as decent amounts of vitamin C and many essential minerals

It’s worth mentioning that they also contain high levels of oxalyc acid, which may exacerbate the formation of kidney stones if you’re susceptible

Notes For Making A Good Tortilla

The tortilla is very forgiving and lends itself well to variations in texture and thickness depending on your taste

That said, here are my recommendations for enjoying and excellent tortilla

The classic Spanish tortilla is rather thinner than the ones you find ready-made in shops and served in your typical restaurant. A good tortilla is juicy without being raw. This is much easier to achieve with the thinner variety. It also requires the freshest eggs

If you’re worried about the quality of your eggs, try the float test. Immerse the eggs in a deep bowl of water and check their behaviour. While the float test won’t tell you if your batch is contaminated with Salmonella, it will tell you something about their freshness

Only partially (half-to thirds) cook the contents of the tortilla. Except for the onions, which should be fully softened. Use enough eggs to just cover the contents in the mixing bowl and in the pan

Use a well-seasoned or non-stick pan with enough (olive) oil to cover the entire surface and hot enough for the egg mixture to immediately sizzle and form a base layer

Shake the pan back and forth until the cooked layer egg slides in one piece. You may need to use a spatula to help you. If the pan wasn’t hot enough you’ll have to be patient and wait for that bottom layer to form before you try to unstick the tortilla from the pan. Once you get the whole thing to slide, you’re good to go

For thinner tortillas turn the heat to medium and leave uncovered for a minutes or two before turning. Shake the pan frequently

For thicker tortillas turn the heat down to a minimum and cover with a lid to build up steam 

In either case, turn the tortilla while there is still a bit of raw mixture on top. Use a plate to flip the tortilla, clean the pan as needed with some absorbent paper, add a drizzle of oil, and slide your turned tortilla back into the pan. Tuck in the sides with a silicone or wooden spatula for a neater look

Cook for another minute or two, depending on the thickness, then flip onto a dish to cool slightly. And enjoy