The "San Viçens" Omelet (Tortilla San Viçens)

In the Sarria neighborhood of Barcelona there is a little Plaza called Plaça San Viçens where there used to be a really classic coffeshop named after the plaza, San Viçens. With its wicker chairs, marble coffee tables, and old Catalan tile, it was a very charming place that was popular with university students, bohemians, and the neighborhood crowd. The specialty tapa was a three layer omelet. Sadly, the coffeshop was demolished and a new building is in its place. The San Viçens might be gone but the memories of sitting with friends and devouring the three layer omelet with rustic bread is still very much alive. 

The three layer omelet was one omelet on top of the other. The first one was made with potato, the second layer was made with zucchini or spinach but I made it with portabella mushrooms, which I find more meaty, and the last layer was a shrimp omelet topped with a pink sauce.

Ingredients for the potato omelet:

5 eggs

4 medium potatoes

olive oil

salt

I add to mine:

1/2 onion

1/2 leek

1/2 green pepper

Peel and cut into small pieces: the potatoes, onions, leek, and pepper. Put the onions, leeks, and peppers into a pan with enough olive oil to cover the potatoes. When the onion starts changing color, add the potatoes and cook on medium to low heat until the potatoes are done. Whisk the eggs in a bowl and add everything except for the oil. Add salt and stir well (you can be generous with the salt because the potatoes absorb it). In a non-stick pan, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil and add the egg and potato mixture. Let it cook on one side. Then take a plate, put it on top of the pan, and turn it upside down, or 180˚. Return the omelet from the plate to the pan to cook the other side. When done, place it on a platter.

Ingredients for the portabella omelet:

2 portabella mushrooms, cut in cubes

1/2 onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt

4 eggs, whisked well

In a pan with olive oil, sauté the mushrooms with the onion and garlic and then add salt. When the mushrooms are done, remove everything from the pan except the olive oil and add to the eggs. Repeat the same process as with the potato omelet.

Ingredients for the shrimp omelet:

18 to 24 medium size shrimp, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

salt

4 eggs, whisked very well

In a pan, sauté the  shrimp with the garlic in olive oil and add salt. Remove from the pan, add to the eggs, and repeat the same process as in the previous omelets.

For the pink sauce:

2 tablespoons mayonaise 
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon brandy

Mix all ingredients well. 

Stack the omelets on top of each other with the potato omelet on the bottom and the shrimp omelet on top. Add the pink sauce to decorate.