Patatas Bravas - Bravas Potatoes or Homemade Patatas Bravas Recipe
How to Make Patatas Bravas - Bravas Potatoes or Homemade Patatas Bravas Recipe
Patatas bravas is one of the second tapas dishes (first being patatas aioli) I made as I got on with making Tapas (classic small dishes from Spain).
The inspiration came from Elisabeth Luard’s book called Tapas – Classic Small Dishes from Spain.
Patatas a la brava recipe is simple, tasty, and easy to prepare. It’s also uncomplicated on ingredients and cook-time, which makes it a great recipe for a small dish.
If you are a fried potatoes lover like me, bravas potatoes are made for you. Bravas sauce is bright red and slightly spicy.
The word Bravas is the feminine plural of bravo ‘fierce’, probably with reference to the spicy sauce.
Patatas Con Salsa Brava (not to be confused with Patatas Aioli which also uses the bravas sauce as a topping), are one of Spain’s most popular tapas.
So what is Patatas Bravas?
Patatas bravas is usually eaten as a tapa, not as the main dish, but it’s up to you. You can eat it as the starter with drinks and if you want main dish.
Patatas con salsa brava, also called patatas a la brava or papas bravas, all meaning “spicy potatoes”, is a dish native to Spain.
It typically consists of white potatoes that have been cut into 2-centimeter-wide cubes, then fried in oil and served warm with a spicy sauce.
You’ll find patatas a la brava in every tapas bar and everyone makes them differently to their own special recipe.
I am told in Madrid, they measure the quality of a restaurant by how good their bravas are, and I have read that it makes a huge difference to how busy your restaurant is.
How do I make homemade patatas bravas recipe?
Patatas a la brava is found in every tapas bar and everyone makes them differently to their own special recipe. But it doesn’t mean you can’t make them at home.
This homemade patatas bravas recipe calls for irregular, bite-sized chunks of fried potatoes that we dress with a spicy tomato sauce and serve piping hot. “Bravas” refers to the fierceness in the heat and spice of the sauce.
In Spain, it is most usual to take them as a tapa to accompany a beer, a wine or a vermouth. Some years ago, United Nations included “patatas bravas” as a “typical Spanish dish” in a compilation of recipes.
What do I serve patatas a la brava with?
Most bars in Spain, serve patatas a la brava tapas as a complementary side with drinks. It is easy to make, tasty and inexpensive.
Patatas bravas are usually consumed hot and mostly eaten as an appetizer or an accompaniment with drinks.
So, you can serve bravas patatas as a side dish, or as a light lunch, tapas-style, with a few cocktail sticks for poking! These would also be an amazing addition to brunch. Enjoy!
Simple Homemade Patatas Bravas Recipe
Get your ingredients ready to make Patatas Bravas | Easy Homemade Patatas Bravas
Make your bravas sauce.
Parboil and peel the potatoes or patatas. Parboil the potatoes in salted water for 7–8 minutes, or until almost cooked. Drain thoroughly using a colander.
Cut the boiled potatoes in bite size pieces
Heat up olive oil in a frying pan or a wok and toss the potatoes in. Fry them till crispy and golden on high heat.
(Remember the potatoes are already cooked and you are only imparting a nice golden fried colour)
Once crispy & golden brown, transfer the potatoes to a plate lined with absorbent kitchen towels to cool.
Sprinkle salt and crushed black pepper, load up with bravas sauce & serve patatas bravas.
Patatas Bravas - Bravas Potatoes or Homemade Patatas Bravas Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 Potatoes medium size
- 4 cup Water for parboiling
- 0.5 cup Olive oil for deep frying
- 0.5 teaspoon Sea salt
- 0.5 teaspoon Crushed Black pepper
- 0.5 cup Bravas Sauce
Instructions
- Get you ingredients ready.
- Get the bravas sauce ready for patatas bravas.
- Parboil the potatoes in salted water for 7–8 minutes, or until almost cooked (they will still feel firm when pierced with a knife). Drain thoroughly using a colander, peel and cube them.
- Heat oil in a wok or a kadai submerge the potatoes into the hot oil and cook for 5 minutes till golden brown.
- Once all potatoes are cooked transfer to a serving dish.
- Sprinkle with sea salt to taste and toss with the bravas sauce until completely coated.
Notes
- You can even avoid parboiling by double frying the potatoes. Simply fry till potatoes are cooked on low heat and cool them. Then fry them again on high heat till they turn golden. However, I think parboiling is simpler and quicker option.
Tools & Equipment Used For This Recipe
For more ideas & reviews visit my section on kitchen essentials.
FINALLY, TO SUM IT UP
Patatas bravas is one of the second tapas dishes (first being patatas aioli) I made as I got on with making Tapas (classic small dishes from Spain).
The inspiration came from Elisabeth Luard’s book called Tapas – Classic Small Dishes from Spain.
Patatas a la bravas recipe is simple, tasty, and easy to prepare. It’s also uncomplicated on ingredients and cook-time, which makes it a great recipe for a small dish.
If you are a fried potatoes lover like me, bravas potatoes are made for you. Bravas sauce is bright red and slightly spicy.
The word Bravas is the feminine plural of bravo ‘fierce’, probably with reference to the spicy sauce.
Patatas a la bravas (not to be confused with Patatas Aioli which also uses the bravas sauce as a topping), are one of Spain’s most popular tapas.
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