Patatas Bravas

Name: Patatas bravas
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 600g potatoes, peeled; 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for shallow frying; 1/2 red onion, finely chopped; Salt flakes, to taste; 1/2 teaspoon hot smoked paprika (pimentón picante); 210g canned crushed Italian tomatoes (Polpa); 2 teaspoons Sherry vinegar

Named for the ‘bold’ sauce that coats them, patatas bravas are deep-fried potato cubes in a spicy, tangy tomato sauce. They’re one of my favourite tapas dishes when done well – that means freshly fried, not done ahead of time then refrigerated and reheated as happens in too many Spanish restaurants! The sauce softens the potatoes quite quickly, so they’re best eaten as soon as possible once they’re mixed into it, while they still have a bit of crunch. The delicious bravas sauce is so easy to make and also excellent with seafood, meat and other vegetables. If you only have sweet (dulce) pimentón, use it with a good pinch of chilli flakes. Serve patatas bravas with a glass of Albero Manzanilla en rama from The Spanish Acquisition for a real treat, and add a plate of Spanish meatballs for a tapas feast (see video below).

Serves 4 as a tapa

Ingredients

600g potatoes, peeled
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for shallow frying
½ red onion, finely chopped
Salt flakes, to taste
½ teaspoon hot smoked paprika (pimentón picante)
Pinch chilli flakes (optional)
210g crushed canned Italian tomatoes (polpa)
Pinch dried chilli flakes (optional)
2 teaspoons Sherry vinegar

Method

Cut potato into large dice.
Place in a saucepan of well-salted water and bring to the boil.
Cook for 12–15 minutes, until tender, then tip into a colander and set aside to steam dry.
While potatoes are cooking, heat oil in a saucepan.
Add onion and a good pinch of salt, cover and cook for about 10 minutes, until tender but not coloured.
Stir in paprika and a pinch of chilli flakes if you like it extra spicy.
Stir in tomato, bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes.
Stir in vinegar then remove from heat and set aside to cool a little.
Blitz well in a food processor until smooth. Set aside.
Heat oil for shallow frying in a frying pan.
Add potato pieces and fry for about 8–10 minutes, shaking the pan often to ensure they don’t stick and turning them occasionally until they’re golden and crisp all over.
Transfer to a wire rack over a plate to drain.
Place potatoes in a mixing bowl toss with sauce and serve immediately.