The ultimate Patatas Bravas | Potatoes with spicy sauce

I am a proud “Madrileño” and in my hometown we pride ourselves on how good our patatas bravas are. There is something so special about traditions, they are there for a reason and are unquestionable in a community. For whoever is not from Madrid it is difficult to understand why we keep banging so much about it (when ?)if really this dish is (are) just humble potatoes with a spicy tomato sauce. But it is so much more than that for us, we meet over “bravas” like in England would “meet for a pint”. It is the ultimate tapa. Every tapas bar has them on the menu  and everyone makes them differently but the one thing in common between all of us who cook it is that we all try to make it the very best we can. Like with croquetas, we measure the quality of a restaurant by how good or outstanding our bravas are and let me tell you, it makes a huge difference to how busy your place is. It comes without saying that in my tapas bars, we make the best Bravas this side of Madrid ; ) and this is my recipe adjusted to the home cook, where we never eat patatas bravas, we go out and enjoy them with friends and a good beer. Salud!

 INGREDIENTS:

• 1kg potatoes

• 50ml of light olive oil

• Crystal salt to season

• 1 head of garlic, skin on

• 3 sprigs rosemary

• Pinch of sweet paprika

• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped

  FOR THE BRAVA SAUCE

• 50ml olive oil

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 1 garlic clove, sliced

• 1 bay leaf

• A pinch chili flakes

• 1 tsp sweet paprika

• 1 tsp sugar

• 1 pinch cumin powder

• Black pepper to season

• 1 shot of sherry vinegar

• 1 pinch of dried oregano

• 1 x 400g chopped tomato tin

• 100ml water

• Salt to season

PREPARATION:

1. Peel and cut the potatoes in large chunks. Place in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring them to the boil over high heat and simmer them for about 10 minutes, until they are not quite cooked yet inside. Drain and place in a roasting tray with the crushed cloves of garlic, the oil and season with the salt. Roast in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 30 minutes. Shake them twice through the roasting process for the potatoes to cook evenly and break some of the edges, which will become extra crispy and will catch the sauce better. Add the springs of rosemary on your first shake. Sprinkle sweet paprika over the top before serving. Use 3 of the roasted garlic cloves for your alioli.

2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, fry the bay leaf, the onion and the garlic for 10 minutes. Add the paprika, chili flakes, oregano and fry 1 minute before adding the sugar, the sherry vinegar and the chopped tomato tin. Season with salt and black pepper and let it cook for 20 minutes. Add the water and simmer on low heat for another 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and blitz until smooth.

3. Place all the ingredients for the alioli in a narrow enough jug for your hand blender to fit. Place the hand blender on the bottom of the jug and blitz without moving for 5 seconds, letting the bottom emulsify. Tilt the hand blender and slowly raise it to the top within the next 5 seconds. When you reach the top move the hand blender from top to bottom for the following 5 seconds until it has homogenised completely. Amazing, right? Yes, I know, you are welcome ; )

4. Serve the potatoes with generous salsa brava over the top, a few dollops of alioli and a sprinkle of the parsley. Enjoy!