Patatas Bravas

Here is a CLASSIC tapas dish! No matter where you go in Spain you without doubt be able to find Patatas Bravas.

Crispy and fluffy potatoes drizzled with a hot and smoky tomato salsa…well normally. Truthfully Salsa Brava varies from region to region and even bar to bar. In Andalucia in the south you will usually find a tomato-based sauce but this is by no means the norm. Growing up in Salamanca there was a famous place for Patatas Bravas called ‘Bar Antonio’. It was so well-known throughout the city that you would hear all kinds of rumours about what was in the recipe from whisky to cayenne pepper. Unfortunately, the bar no longer remains but if you know the right people you can still get your hands on some. Luckily you do! The recipe is still made the same way in a bar on the outskirts of Salamanca in Castellanos de Moriscos named ‘Bar IMMA’. If you ever get a chance to visit we can’t recommend enough!

For those of you who aren’t fortunate enough to try these Patatas Bravas they are very different and the sauce is much more garlic based sauce with a very faint hint of spice. You can replicate something similar if you mix together 2 parts Alioli to 1 part Salsa Brava and gently heat.

But for those of you who like your Patatas Bravas more spicy then this is the recipe for you.

Ingredients

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Potatoes

Salsa Brava

Olive Oil

Salt

Method

  1. Cut potatoes into cubes. It’s up to you whether you want to keep the skin on the potatoes on or off.

  2. Boil them in salted water for 5 minutes.

  3. Drain and let them dry for 5 minutes

  4. Once the potatoes are dry you can either shallow fry until golden brown or in a baking tray drizzle the potatoes with oil and bake for 10-12 minutes at 200°.

  5. Season the potatoes with salt and drizzle over the salsa brava and serve.

This is a great side dish to have alongside some fish or meat. Or if you’re having a tapas evening these are perfect for sharing, just make sure you make enough"!