Basque Potato Tortilla - French Fridays with Dorie

I'm so glad that today was one of my days off .  J didn't have to be at class until 9, so I was up at 6:30 peeling potatoes and chopping onions. Sounds glamorous doesn't it ?  It's one of my favorite times to be in the kitchen, the sky outside is still that dark indigo blue and just starting to glow slightly on the horizon with the sun trying to rise.  I say trying because after all this is Seattle and today is a typical February day in Seattle, very very windy and very very grey.
 

So the smell of potatoes and onions cooking in my cast iron skillet brought some warmth to my world.  I love Dorie Greenspan's recipes from Around My French Table. They consistently transport me.  This morning I could imagine someone across the ocean in their French kitchen just on the outskirts of Bayonne cooking this same dish .  She's just come back from the market and empties her bag onto the old wooden table.  Freshly dug potatoes, sweet onions, fresh eggs from the farm down the road and a little Jambon de Bayonne or Bayonne Ham. Some red wine, a crisp baguette from the Boulanger and a small salad of chervil, parsley and fresh herbs. A perfect afternoon lunch for her and her love. 

 I have fallen in love with Bayonne, from the Basque region of France. Seriously who wouldn't love to live in an area that since 1462 has been celebrating the deliciousness of the  “Jambon de Bayonne”  or Bayonne ham. And if that doesn't make your mouth water-they have a chocolate festival in May celebrating their famous chocolate making that was introduced in 1496 ! 
I made this tortilla simple and straightforward-mainly because unlike my French counterpart I did not just return from the market and my pantry did not have some of the ingredients I would have liked to have added to this.  However it was still delicious with the potatoes, onions,rosemary and garlic.  I wanted to add something for interest and I remembered I had a jar of Roasted Garlic and Fig spread-perfect. 

A little side of that to drag a bite  of the tortilla through -just the right amount of caramelized sweetness to offset the spicy bite from the cayenne. Next time I will add some grated cheese just after I remove it from the oven.  I imagine the cheese and the garlic fig spread would combine beautifully. Bon Appetit and head over to French Fridays with Dorie to see everyone elses' results.