Patatas Bravas

Potato of the Month

Patatas Bravas

For August we bring you one of our hidden gems for Potato of the Month, Mary’s Rose. Also known as Fairy Potatoes to some of our regular customers this variety has a pretty pink speckled skin, firm...

4Serves
30 minutesPrep
1 hourCook

For August we bring you one of our hidden gems for Potato of the Month, Mary’s Rose. Also known as Fairy Potatoes to some of our regular customers this variety has a pretty pink speckled skin, firm white flesh and is a perfect all-rounder. Brilliant for boiling, creating a beautiful creamy mash, crispy roasties with a flaky centre or baking in the oven whole there is little that this variety can’t do.

Our recipe this month showcases this variety in its roasted form and we couldn’t be happier with its sweetness. Patatas Bravas is a traditional Spanish tapas dish and is so moreish that I often serve it as a meal on its own (although it does make a very nice side if you’re not feeling gluttonous…). You can control the temperature by putting in as much or as little chilli as you like but it is the sweet paprika that is worth the effort of finding. Besides the potatoes, obviously, this is the ingredient that really makes this dish sing.

You can find Mary’s Rose half price throughout August 2022 on our website, at our Honesty Stall in Tenterden, when you visit Steve at his London Farmer’s Markets and at selected Farm Shops in Kent and East Sussex (keep an eye peeled on our Instagram page for more details about where).

Method

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan or Gas Mark 6). Prepare the onion by chopping finely and heat a glug of oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the onion for 5 minutes until soft before crushing the garlic and adding to the pan, cooking for a further couple of minutes.
  2. Stir the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, sweet paprika, chilli powder (and a pinch of chilli flakes if using), sugar and a pinch of salt into the pan. Mix thoroughly and then bring to the boil before lowering the temperature and leaving to simmer for 10-20 minutes (stirring occasionally) until the sauce begins to thicken.
  3. Cut the potatoes into approximately 1cm cubes before tossing in a bowl in some of the rapeseed oil and generously seasoning with salt and pepper. Transfer to a roasting tin and cook in the oven for 1 hour, checking halfway through to turn them so that they are crispy and golden all over.
  4. Once cooked transfer the potatoes to a serving bowl and pour over the tomato sauce mix, gently stirring and mixing through. This is best served warm but will keep in the fridge for a couple of days. If preparing in advance I would recommend keeping the potatoes and sauce separately until you are ready to serve, this will help keep the potatoes relatively crispy and avoid soggy spuds!