When I think of tapas, patatas bravas are about the first thing that comes to mind. Not garlic gambas or olives, or miscellaneous things wrapped in dry-cured ham, but a plate of fried potatoes smothered in spicy tomato sauce. I’m not entirely clear on why these potatoes are supposed to be brave, but they certainly hold their own. In my take on this Spanish classic, I’ve used grilled Romero peppers instead of ground paprika and baked my spuds in the oven for optimal crispiness and minimal fuss. Now, to guide your attention away from the fact that I have never been to Spain, let’s talk about my new serving plate. It’s made of bamboo, which is a beautiful sustainable material that can be used for a myriad of things, ranging from underwear to construction work. It also doesn’t hurt that it is cheap, light and virtually unbreakable. In other, and much fewer, words, here is my version of patatas bravas: a classic recipe with a twist, served on the plate of the future. Me gusta! 

Ingredients (for 2):

for the patatas:

700 g potatoes

olive oil

salt

for the sauce:

2 Romero peppers

400 g canned chopped tomatoes

1 dried bird’s eye chili

1 onion

3 cloves of garlic

salt

fresh parsley

optional:

a dollop of organic full-fat mayonnaise

I’m not a great fan of floury potatoes (not even for chips !) so I opted for these waxy, red skinned beauties.

• Heat the grill to its highest setting and put the peppers under it for 8 minutes on either side.
• Take out the peppers and heat the oven to 200 – 225 degrees.
• Scrub the potatoes if necessary, then cut them into thin wedges.
• Arrange them on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, season generously with salt and bake for 35-40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce.
• Chop the onion finely and gently sautée it in a layer of olive oil until completely soft. After about 10 minutes, add three crushed cloves of garlic and the finely chopped dried chili, and sweat for at least 5 minutes more.
• Peel off the blackened skin from the peppers, remove seeds and chop the flesh very finely.
• Add to the pan along with the chopped tomatoes. Season with salt and simmer until the potatoes are done.
• To serve, add fresh parsley and pretend like your a Spaniard in a bar by eating with your hands and dipping the patatas in that sauce like you mean it.

More about the different uses of bamboo can be found here.