Dear weekend, let me introduce you to your best friend: patatas bravas. Patatas bravas are fried potatoes with a sauce made with tomatoes and paprika, it’s slightly spicy and simply glorious. This dish originates in Spain and it’s one of my favourite pairings for a pint of beer.
The inspiration
A few weeks ago I was having a stroll on Instagram (as you do) and I saw Omar Allibhoy making patatas bravas and I was like OH NO! I need to make these. You can follow Omar aka “The Spanish Chef” on Instagram here: @omarallibhoy. The recipe I made isn’t exactly his but I have to recognize that he was a heavy source of inspiration! I am certain that you will love this brava sauce and you’ll want to make extra for freezing and having at hand.
The potatoes for the patatas bravas
The potatoes for the patatas bravas can be cooked in a variety of ways. The first and more traditional one is to deep-fry them, like any other fry. The other option is to roast them in the oven or air fryer. As a matter of fact, I used an air fryer for these and they are always really crispy. Here go the instructions for each cooking method:
- Fries: preheat a small pot with 500ml vegetable oil (I recommend canola) over medium-high heat. If you have a thermometer for oil, you want to reach 180°C/350°F. Add the potatoes and fry them until golden. Remove them and place them in a bowl with kitchen paper to absorb the excess oil. Also, add salt and pepper as soon as they come out of the oil so it sticks. Serve with the brava sauce and voilá: patatas bravas.
- Air fryer or roasted: mix the potatoes with 2 tbsp of olive oil, salt and pepper. Fry them or bake them at 180°C/350°F for 20-30 minutes or until golden and crispy. Mix them every 10 minutes so they cook evenly. Serve with
- Papas en freidora de aire: mezcla las papas con 2 cdas de aceite de oliva, sal y pimienta. Fríelas u hornéalas a 180°C/350°F por 20-30 minutos o hasta que estén doradas y bien crocantes. Mezcla cada 10 minutos para que se doren parejo. Serve with the brava sauce and voilá: patatas bravas.
Ingredients
For the brava sauce
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 120 g brown onion approximately half a medium onion, sliced
- 1 bayleaf
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper adjust to taste
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 240 g chopped canned tomatoes also use the juice they come in
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the potatoes
- 1 kg potatoes
- Salt and pepper
- Oil for frying or roasting
Instructions
For the brava sauce
- Preheat a pot or pan over medium heat. Add the oil, onion, bay leaf, oregano, paprika and cayenne pepper. Cook over medium heat until the onion is translucent and smells sweet.
- Add the garlic and cook it while stirring constantly for one minute. Add the vinegar and let it boil and evaporate almost completely.
- Add the tomatoes and their juice and stir it in. Let it reduce in half. Add salt and pepper.
- Remove the bay leaf and blend the sauce and adjust the salt level.
For the potatoes
- This part is more up to you. You can cut them up to the size you like and have them with skin on or off. Remember that the larger they are, the longer they take to cook. I peeled them and chopped them in small cubes.
- You can then deep-fry them in vegetable oil over medium-high heat or mix them with a bit of olive oil and roast them or use an airfryer instead. They should be golden and crispy.
- If you deep-fried them, transfer them to a bowl with kitchen paper to absorb the excess oil and add salt and pepper immediately so it sticks.
To serve
- Serve the potatoes with a generous amount of brava sauce.
