Spice Up Your Day With Brava Sauce!

If you’ve been lucky enough to travel to Spain, you’ve no doubt enjoyed tapas. In fact, the popularity of the dish means that the custom of enjoying bite-sized snacks before a meal has now spread to all parts of the world.

The origins of tapas are not exactly clear. The most widely held belief is that King Alfonso X of Castile, who was born in Spain in the 13th century, came up with the idea after falling sick and being prescribed large quantities of alcohol as medication. In order to avoid becoming too drunk, he ate small amounts of food at the same time. After he had recovered, he ordered that food should always be served with alcohol to prevent his citizens from becoming intoxicated.  

There is no one definition for tapas and the type of food you would expect to find when eating the dish varies significantly depending on what part of Spain you are in. The common thread between all tapas meals is the fact that food is served in bite sized portions. While most tapas are eaten as an entrée, the tradition has evolved to the point where many Spanish people now enjoy a full meal made up of various smaller snacks.

The most common types of foods that make up a tapas dish include cured meat, cheese, and olives. In addition, small hot meals that are easy to cook — such as patatas bravas — are often served.

Brava sauce is a topping that typically accompanies patatas bravas, one of Spain’s most popular tapas dishes.

Patatas bravas is a very simple dish, the main two ingredients being baked potatoes and a spicy tomato-based sauce. From here, Spanish chefs have created a wide array of variations to the classic meal. 

Brava sauce typically includes a combination of tomato, onion, garlic, chili, and herbs and spices. It is usually quite hot and spicy, and pairs well with many alcoholic drinks.

Patatas bravas could not be simpler to make and the dish is widely enjoyed by people from all over the world. Try this recipe as an afternoon snack and see for yourself! Serves 8.

● 1.5 kg potatoes

● ¼ cup olive oil

● 1 jar brava sauce

● 1 tsp salt

● 1 ½ tsp fresh parsley

1. Wash and peel the potatoes, before cutting into 1 inch cubes.

2. Bring a pot of water to the boil and soak the potatoes for around 15 minutes, until soft.

3. Preheat the oven to 180 ℃.

4. Drain the potatoes.

5. Spread the potatoes out in a large sized baking dish and cover with oil.

6. Cook for approximately 45 minutes, until brown and crispy.

7. In the meantime, pour the brava sauce into a small saucepan and heat until warmed through.

8. Serve the potatoes topped with brava sauce, salt, and parsley — enjoy!