Patatas bravas
Crisp fried potatoes with Madrid's smoky paprika bravas sauce
Patatas bravas are Madrid's favourite bar snack: chunky potatoes fried until crisp outside and fluffy inside, then splashed with a brick-red sauce of olive oil, pimentón and a little stock. In Madrid the sauce is not ketchup or tomato sauce but a smooth, smoky paprika sauce with a kick; in Barcelona and Valencia you often get it with a spoon of alioli as well. This home version is fried twice for crunch and keeps the heat moderate so children can join in; add more hot paprika for the grown-ups. Serve with cold drinks, tortilla and pimientos de Padrón for a tapas spread. Chef's tip: take the pan off the heat before adding the pimentón; paprika burns in seconds and turns bitter, and that bitterness is the most common reason homemade bravas sauce tastes wrong.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the potatoes
For the bravas sauce
To serve
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Rinse 2 ¼ lb potatoes in cold water to wash off the surface starch, then dry them very well in a tea towel. Wet potatoes spit and never crisp.
Step 2: Make the sauce. Warm 4 tbsp olive oil in a small pan over a low heat and cook 2 cloves garlic for 1–2 minutes, until it smells sweet but has not coloured. Stir in 1 tbsp cornflour and cook for 30 seconds.
2 minStep 3: Take the pan off the heat and stir in 2 tsp sweet smoked paprika (pimentón de la Vera dulce) and ½ tsp hot paprika (pimentón picante). Straight away whisk in 1 cup vegetable stock a little at a time so it stays smooth.
Step 4: Return to a low heat and simmer for 4–5 minutes, whisking, until it thickens to the consistency of single cream. Add 1 tsp sherry vinegar and ¼ tsp salt, taste and add more hot paprika if you like. Blend until silky with a stick blender, or leave rustic. Keep warm.
5 minStep 5: Heat 3 cups olive or sunflower oil in a deep pan to 275°F (a cube of bread should sizzle slowly). Fry the potatoes in two batches for 8–10 minutes, until tender right through but still pale. Lift out and drain.
10 minStep 6: Raise the heat to 350°F (bread browns in 30 seconds). Fry the potatoes again for 3–4 minutes, until deep golden and crunchy; they should rattle when you stir them. Drain on kitchen paper and toss with 1 tsp salt.
8 minStep 7: Pile the hot potatoes on a plate, spoon the bravas sauce over the top so some pieces stay crisp, and add a few spoons of 4 tbsp alioli (garlic mayonnaise) if you like. Scatter with 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley and eat at once, with cocktail sticks.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 46 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does patatas bravas take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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