Bilbao almonds), rice cakes and "bollos de mantequilla" (butter buns). Bilbao, as other Basque cities, is known for a variety of appetizers and snacks, being prominent among them the "pintxos", which are typically eaten in bars and that consist of small slices of bread on top of which is placed an ingredient or mixture of ingredients, generally of many different types and usually including elements typical of Basque cuisine. Other snacks include "rabas" (fried or battered calamari rings, usually served with lemon slices), Spanish omelette (omelette made with eggs and potatoes, sometimes including onions and peppers), "txampis" (stuffed mushrooms), "triángulos" (Bilbao-style
Spanish omelette According to legend, during the siege of Bilbao, Carlist general Tomás de Zumalacárregui invented the ""tortilla de patatas"" as an easy, fast and nutritious dish to satisfy the scarcities of the Carlist army. Although it remains unknown whether this is true, it appears the tortilla started to spread during the early Carlist wars. Another tale is that the recipe was learnt by Spanish prisoners captured after the Battle of Montes Claros during the Portuguese Restoration War in 1665. After the Portuguese victory, more than 6000 Spanish soldiers were kept in captivity for 2 years until the Treaty of Lisbon was