There’s a lot of great food out there and I simply think you should know! One such dish being PATATAS BRAVAS. Oh, lordy. I would go BACK to Spain just to have patatas bravas. True story.
Origins of Patatas Bravas
Patatas bravas are a classic Spanish dish that was created sometime after 1542 when the Spanish conquered the Inca empire and tubers became a more common food in Europe. The dish originates from Madrid where it became widely known as fried potatoes in a served with a spicy tomato sauce. Other classic versions are served with aioli. Learn more about the history of patatas bravas here. And for a more traditional take on patatas bravas from a Spaniard, check out this recipe from Spain on a Fork! It all starts with crispy quartered potatoes. Some versions are fried, I was not about to go there (#terrifiedofgrease). Plus, baked taste just as good if not better than fried. And you can have twice as many since they have half the calories – it’s science. The thing that makes this dish special is the tomato sauce. Although there many versions out there, some even, including a garlic aioli as a second sauce, I wanted to keep things simple. The sauce itself comes together in about 20 minutes including prep time and requires super basic ingredients: Tomato paste or canned tomatoesSaltGarlic cloves + powderCayennePaprikaHot sauce& Onion It’s very similar to the sauce for the simple baked eggs, only more vinegary, spicier, and less chunky. Perfect for pouring atop crispy baked potatoes. #YUM If you want to keep this dish vegan, stop here. But if you’re up for another layer of flavor, bring on the Parmesan! I highly recommend it, as it’s a simple alternative to making aioli, which requires 5 more ingredients. Last but not least, HERBS! I went with cilantro, but parsley is perhaps more traditional. Besides adding more color, it adds freshness and an earthy flavor that I love. And there you have it. SIMPLE Patatas Bravas with a kick. This dish is: SpicySavoryOne word – POTATOESPerfect for a crowd (tapas anyone?)CustomizableTomato-yGarlicky& Super satisfying Make this a complete meal by adding a runny egg on top (seriously amazing). Otherwise, serve as a traditional Spanish appetizer or “tapas.” We ate these EVERYWHERE when we were in Spain. So good! They’re probably my favorite appetizer of ALL TIME. Sorry chips & salsa, you were good for a little while but…you’ve been replaced. Enjoy!
