Patatas Bravas – Crispy Potatoes with Spicy Sauce

Cut the peeled potatoes into irregular pieces about 2.5–3 cm across. Put them in a bowl with 1 l cold water, stir briefly, then pour off all the water. Spread the potatoes on a clean kitchen towel and dry very thoroughly on all sides; they must not be wet before frying. Divide into 2 batches of 400 g each and finely chop the onion. Prepare a heavy-bottomed pot about 22 cm in diameter with a capacity of at least 4 l, a small saucepan, a slotted spoon, a wire rack set over a baking sheet and an immersion blender with a tall container suitable for hot liquids.

Heat 25 ml olive oil in the small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add all the onion and 1 g salt, then cook for about 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is soft and translucent without browning deeply. At the same time, pour all the sunflower oil into the large pot; it will be about 4 cm deep. Heat over moderate heat to about 140–150°C. A piece of potato should sizzle gently and evenly without browning quickly, and the oil must not smoke.

Carefully add the first 400 g of completely dry potatoes to the oil. Fry for about 12–15 minutes at about 140–150°C, gently turning occasionally: the pieces should remain pale or light cream in color, and a thin knife should slide into the center without resistance. If they brown quickly, lower the heat; at this stage, the goal is a soft center, not a crisp crust. Lift the potatoes out with a slotted spoon, drain over the pot and spread in a single layer on the rack over the baking sheet, without a cover. While they fry, keep an eye on the potatoes and prepare the sauce as described in the next 2 steps.

Add all the flour to the softened onion and stir over low heat for about 1–2 minutes, until it combines with the olive oil; do not brown it deeply. Remove the saucepan from the burner, add both paprikas and stir for about 20 seconds to release their aroma without burning them. Gradually pour in all the broth, whisking constantly and breaking up any flour lumps. Return the saucepan to low heat only after adding the liquid.

Cook the sauce at a gentle simmer for about 8–10 minutes, stirring often along the bottom, until it thickens, the onion is completely soft and the raw flour taste is gone. Remove from the heat and carefully pour into a tall container suitable for hot liquids. Blend until smooth with an immersion blender, keeping the head submerged in the sauce so it does not splatter hot liquid; do not strain through a sieve. Pour all the sauce back into the saucepan and cover. It should fall from a spoon in a thick ribbon while remaining fluid and easy to pour.

Bring the oil back to about 140–150°C and fry the remaining 400 g potatoes for about 12–15 minutes, until equally soft without noticeably browning. Lift out, drain and place on the rack beside the first batch, without piling up the pieces. After removing the final batch, take the pot of oil off the burner and leave all the potatoes without a cover for at least 10 minutes, until they stop steaming and their surface dries. The first batch is already resting while the second fries.

Once the potatoes have stopped steaming, reheat the oil, this time to about 180°C. It should sizzle briskly around a piece of potato, but not smoke. Add the first reserved batch and fry for about 3–5 minutes, turning gently, until evenly golden on the outside with slightly darker, crisp edges. Lift onto the rack, drain and immediately sprinkle with 3 g salt; leave without a cover while frying the rest.

Let the oil return to about 180°C, then finish frying the second batch for about 3–5 minutes, until the color and crispness match the first. Drain on the rack and sprinkle the potatoes with the remaining 3 g salt. If needed, briefly warm the covered sauce over very low heat at the same time, stirring until hot. Leave the frying oil to cool; do not pour it into the sauce and do not serve it with the potatoes.

Divide the hot potatoes into 4 tapas servings. Spoon half the sauce over them just before serving, leaving some of the crisp surface exposed, and serve all the remaining half alongside for dipping. Do not toss the potatoes with the sauce for a long time; serve immediately, while they are crisp on the outside and soft in the center.