Patatas Bravas (VG) from Classic Spanish Recipes

“There are many versions of this recipe, but here’s how they make them at the Bar Tomás in Barcelona, where everyone who’s anyone goes for their midday treat. Allow at least a week for the chilli to impart its fire and colour to the oil.” Elisabeth Luard, author of Classic Spanish Recipes

Serves 4

Small bottle olive oil, about 200 ml (7 fl oz)

12 dried chillies

1 kg (2 lb) floury potatoes, peeled and cut into fat fingers or cubes

Oil, for frying

Salt

Pour most of the olive oil from the bottle into a jug. Pack the chillies into the bottle and top up with as much of the olive oil as will fit. Seal tightly and leave for a week before using.

Salt the potatoes and leave them to drain in a sieve for about 10 minutes. Shake to remove excess moisture, but don’t rinse.

Heat the oil for frying in a deep frying pan until a faint blue haze rises. Slip in the potatoes and fry gently, a batch at a time, until soft. Remove and drain. Reheat the oil and fry them again until crisp and golden. Repeat if necessary – which, depending on the choice of potato, it may well be.

Dress the potatoes with the chilli-infused olive oil – or hand round separately, for dipping. You can hand round a garlicky mayonnaise as well, just for good measure.