Papas Bravas
I first had papas bravas in Barcelona (Spain) while I was studying abroad in Florence (Italy). The potatoes were cubed and peeled and soft on the inside but crispy on the outside, but they also weren’t French fries. The sauce might have just been ketchup and mayo but it somehow was also so much more. Spanish dishes are straightforward and simple and somehow greater than the sums of their parts. Made by a culture that doesn’t eat as much as feast, they manage to make ketchup and French fries sluttier than anyone else could possibly imagine. Besides us Americans perhaps. Our national dish is chicken tetrazzini.
Their slutiness comes out the more you get to know them
Here’s my Papas Bravas recipe. Olé!
1. Wash some small potatoes and put them in a pot with enough water to cover them plus a little extra. Generously salt and add aromatics if you like
2. Turn on the heat to high, and once the water boils turn it to low until the tiniest of bubbles are just breaking through to the surface. 20 min
3. Drain the potatoes and put them in the freezer for at least an hour but preferably until they’re frozen solid
4. Put a generous amount of olive oil in a casserole dish and put it in a 450 °F oven for 20 min
5. After 20 min, put the cold potatoes directly in the hot casserole dish. Make sure they’re all covered in oil, and then put them back in the oven for 20 minutes. Take them out and give them a little toss halfway through
6. Once the potatoes are done, put them in a bowl lined with paper towels and toss them in Maldon salt
For the sauce:
Combine 2 Tbsp mayo (store bought is fine), 2 tsp gojuchang, 2 tsp sherry vin, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1-2 pinches of smoked paprika, and a little pinch of salt. Adjust to taste.
