Patatas Bravas

La storia di questo piatto

Patatas bravas are the great small-plate ritual of Madrid's tapas bars, golden cubes of yellow-fleshed potato crowned with a sauce that is half ember, half tomato. Humble ingredients, an old Spanish habit of sharing a plate at the counter.

Ingredienti

• 800 g Yellow waxy potatoes
• 500 ml Extra virgin olive oil
• 400 g Canned tomatoes
• 200 g Mayonnaise
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 1 tablespoon Smoked paprika
• 0.5 tablespoon Chili powder
• 5 g Salt
• 2 g Black pepper
• 1 bunch Fresh parsley

Preparazione

1. Peel the potatoes with a vegetable peeler, running the blade from top to bottom and rotating the potato to remove all the skin. Then cut them into cubes of about 2 cm per side: imagine dividing each potato into uniform squares. Use a sharp knife and work on a stable cutting board, keeping the potato steady with your other hand using bent fingers (to avoid cutting yourself). You're done when the potato is completely white and free of skin.
2. Place the potato cubes in a pot with cold water and a pinch of salt. Turn the heat to maximum and wait for the water to boil: you'll see bubbles rising from the bottom of the pot and hear an intense bubbling sound. Once the water boils vigorously, cook for 8-10 minutes. To check if they're done, insert a fork into a cube: it should enter easily but with slight resistance in the center. If the fork goes through without effort, they're already cooked and you risk them falling apart.
3. Pour the potatoes into a colander and shake it well to remove excess water. Then spread them on paper towels and let them rest for at least 5 minutes without touching them. You'll gradually see the residual water evaporate: the potatoes will become progressively drier and this will make them crispier when you fry them.
4. For the brava sauce: mince the garlic very finely with a knife, crushing it on the blade's flat side and then cutting it into tiny pieces. Pour some oil into a pan over medium heat and add the minced garlic. You'll immediately hear it sizzle and smell the pleasant aroma of cooking garlic (about 30 seconds). Don't leave it too long or it will turn dark and bitter. Immediately add the canned tomatoes, paprika, and chili powder, then lower the heat to minimum. Let it cook gently, stirring occasionally with a spoon. The sauce is ready when it's thick, a deep dark red, and fragrant: when you lift the spoon, the sauce should drip slowly like honey.
5. For the aioli: pour the mayonnaise into a bowl, take one garlic clove and crush it with the flat side of a knife (tap the knife gently with your closed fist). Add the crushed garlic to the mayonnaise along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well with a spoon until the garlic is evenly distributed: the color should be uniform and no visible pieces of garlic should remain.
6. Fill a pan or deep pot with oil to the halfway point and heat it over medium-high heat. To verify the oil is ready, insert a wooden toothpick: if small bubbles rise rapidly around it, it's hot enough. Or drop a tiny breadcrumb in: if it turns golden and floats in about 20-30 seconds, the oil is ready. Fry the potato cubes in small batches (don't add too many at once or they'll cook poorly and stay wet): each batch will need 3-4 minutes. You'll know they're done when they turn golden and crispy outside. To check the inside, cut a potato: it should be soft and translucent, not crumbly. Use a slotted spoon to remove them and immediately place them on a plate lined with paper towels.
7. Transfer all the fried potatoes to a large serving dish or individual plates. Sprinkle them immediately with some coarse sea salt (coarse salt sticks better when the potatoes are still hot and dry). Drizzle the brava sauce over the potatoes as needed, about half the amount you have. Then add a generous spoonful of aioli on each portion, creating small mounds.
8. Mince the fresh parsley very finely with a knife, holding the blade tip steady on the cutting board and moving only the blade's base back and forth (like a rocking motion). Sprinkle the parsley generously over the potatoes, covering everything well. Serve immediately while the potatoes are still hot and crispy: the contrast between the hot potato and the sauces is essential to fully appreciate the flavor.