Patatas Bravas

Over 4.4 million potatoes get thrown away every day in the UK according to sustainability charity Love Food Hate Waste with almost half of the potatoes we buy going in the bin. But just because your spuds have started to sprout doesn’t mean they can’t be used! Limiting food loss helps the planet and your budget.

Patatas bravas, or “brave potatoes”, don’t need you to jump too far out of your comfort zone. Delicious roasted potatoes topped with a spicy Spanish tomato sauce makes for an excellent addition to a tapas spread or as a side for another dish. This recipe is vegetarian, quick, easy to make and uses ingredients most people have at the back of their cupboards. Give those old potatoes some new life!

Adapted from a recipe by Malcom Coxall

Overview: 

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 225g chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 tsp Sweet Paprika
• Pinch of Ancho Chilli powder
• Pinch of sugar
• Chopped parsley
• 900g of potatoes
• Olive oil

Method

1. Fry the onion in olive oil for about 5 minutes or until it begins to soften. Add the garlic and tomato puree, cook for a further 1-2 minutes.
   
2. Add the chopped tomatoes, paprika, chilli powder and sugar. Season with salt then bring to the boil while stirring. Simmer for 10 minutes then set aside for later.
3. Preheat oven to 180°. Chop potatoes into 1 inch cubes.
4. Optionally you can parboil the potatoes in a pan of water for 5 minutes.
5. Dry potatoes with kitchen paper then toss them in 2-3 tbsp of olive oil.
6. Roast potatoes until they are crisp and golden, make sure to turn potatoes halfway through cooking to ensure even browning.
7. Once cooked, season the potatoes with a little salt. Serve the potatoes in a small bowl and top with the reheated paprika sauce. Garnish with the chopped parsley and dig in!