An egg today is better than a hen to-morrow. Benjamin Franklin

Eggs may not be a first choice for a family dinner but they are so reasonably priced it would be wrong not to consider them as a contender.  Now I appreciate a soft boiled egg with soldiers will not hit the right spot after a hard day at work, so I was thinking bigger.
A traditional English omelette served with wedges or maybe new potatoes and a salad is worth entertaining, but how about really pushing the boat out with a Spanish Frittata?
Equally, a Spanish Tortila is both satisfying as well as economic.

Classic Spanish Tortilla
1 large onion
4 tablespoons olive oil or sunflower oil
4 potatoes, around 500 g -  thinly sliced
5 large eggs, beaten and seasoned

Serves 2-3 
Cut the onion in half, then slice thinly length-ways and separate into slithers.  Heat 3-tbsp of oil in a 20-cm frying pan.
Add the potatoes to the pan in layers, alternating with onion slithers.  Cook for 10-15 minutes over a medium to low heat, turning occasionally until just tender.  Remove the potatoes and onion from the pan and drain in a colander, reserving any oil.  Put the eggs and vegetables in a bowl and mix gently.
Heat the reserved oil in the pan, adding a little extra if necessary.  Add the potato and egg mixture, spreading it evenly in the pan.  Cook over a medium heat until the bottom is golden brown and the top is almost set.
Put a plate on top of the frying pan and invert to remove the tortilla.  Carefully slide the almost cooked tortilla back into the pan, browned side up, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Serve with either a mixed salad or cooked vegetables of choice.

Field Mushroom Tortilla
20 g butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cooked potatoes, diced
200 g flat field mushrooms
1 garlic clove, crushed
125 g baby spinach
4 eggs
100 ml milk

Serves 4-6
Heat the butter and olive oil together in a frying pan, add the potatoes and brown on all sides. Transfer to a plate, then cook the mushrooms for 5 minutes, adding a little more oil if necessary. Transfer to another plant, whilst returning the potato's back to the frying pan.  Sprinkle in the garlic, then add the mushrooms and spinach.
Mix the eggs and milk together, and season before pouring over the mushroom and potato mixture. Cover and cook gently for 5 minutes.
Pre-heat the grill to medium.  Pit the torilla under the grill for 6-8 minutes or until the top is golden.

Mushroom Tortilla

Sun-Dried Tomato Frittata
6 large eggs
8 sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped sage leaves
50 g pitted black olives, sliced
50 g Parmesan, grated
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced

Serves 2-3

For an intense flavour, mix the tomatoes and sage into the eggs an hour before cooking.

Place the eggs, tomatoes, sage, olives, and Parmesan into a bowl and season.  Mix together gently.
Heat the oil in a 20-cm frying pan before adding the onion.  Cook over a low heat until soft and golden.  Increase the heat to medium, pour the egg mixture into the pa and stir just long enough to combine with the onion.  Cook over a medium to low heat until the base of the frittata is golden and top has almost set.
Pre-heat the grill.
Slide the pan under the grill to finish cooking.  Alternatively, put a plate on top of the frying pan and invert to remove the tortilla.  Carefully slide the almost cooked tortilla back into the pan, browned side up, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Sun-dried tomato and olives Frittata

Just like in omelettes, you can combine almost any ingredients into a Frittata or Tortilla.  Try adding baby spinach, artichoke, Mozzarella, leek, goats cheese, feta, sausage, chorizo -  you get the idea.