Patatas bravas recipe
Chef and food writer Claire Thomson, author of this recipe, says: "So called 'brave potatoes' for the spicy, smoky sauce that accompanies them. So, yes, I would urge you to be bold with the chilli, garlic and paprika. Which way will you choose to serve this classic Spanish tapas dish: potatoes on top of the sauce or sauce on top of potatoes?
"As with all celebrated international recipes, there are many interpretations. Chefs up and down the country in Spain, and everywhere else beyond, will tell you in no uncertain terms, it’s their road or the high road. Furthermore, I have it from a good, reliable source that a Spaniard would always blend the bravas sauce, never leave it chunky – but I’ll leave you to experiment. I’m roasting the potatoes because it’s easier, but you could, of course, fry them."
Ingredients
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 500 g floury baking potatoes
- 120 ml olive or sunflower oil
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped, to taste
- 2 tsp chilli flakes or cayenne pepper, to taste
- 2 tsp smoked paprika, plus a bit more to serve
- 0.5 tbsp red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
- 1 x 400g can of plum tomatoes, chopped
- 1 pinch salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 100 g aioli, to serve (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 17.6 oz floury baking potatoes
- 4.2 fl oz olive or sunflower oil
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped, to taste
- 2 tsp chilli flakes or cayenne pepper, to taste
- 2 tsp smoked paprika, plus a bit more to serve
- 0.5 tbsp red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
- 1 x 400g can of plum tomatoes, chopped
- 1 pinch salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 3.5 oz aioli, to serve (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 17.6 oz floury baking potatoes
- 0.5 cup olive or sunflower oil
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped, to taste
- 2 tsp chilli flakes or cayenne pepper, to taste
- 2 tsp smoked paprika, plus a bit more to serve
- 0.5 tbsp red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
- 1 x 400g can of plum tomatoes, chopped
- 1 pinch salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 3.5 oz aioli, to serve (store-bought or homemade)
Details
- Cuisine: Spanish
- Recipe Type: Tapas
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation Time: 20 mins
- Cooking Time: 40 mins
- Serves: 4
Step-by-step
- Boil the potatoes whole with their skin on in well-salted water until tender. Drain them, leave them to cool, and then peel them, discarding the skins. Cut them into 2.5cm (1in) cubes.
- Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/425°F/Gas 7 and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
- Douse the potato cubes in half the oil and a good sprinkling of salt and pepper. Roast them for 20-25 minutes in the hot oven, giving them a shuffle midway through if you like, until well-coloured and turning crisp at the edges. Remove from the oven and put to one side.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a saucepan over a moderate heat. Add the onion and fry for 10 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for two minutes more. Add the chilli flakes (or cayenne pepper) and the smoked paprika and cook for 30 seconds more. Add the vinegar and cook until it evaporates.
- Add the tomatoes, seasoned well with salt and pepper, then reduce the heat to moderate-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until thick and rich. Check the seasoning, adjusting with more of anything as necessary. Remove from the heat, but keep warm.
- To serve, pile the lot on to a large serving plate, either sauce then potatoes or potatoes then sauce, dolloping the top with aïoli and dusting with a little extra paprika.
Extracted from Tomato by Claire Thomson (Quadrille, £22). Photography by Sam Folan.
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