No tapas bar in Cádiz is a real Cádiz tapas bar without ‘papas aliñás’. Of course, there is a reason for that… this cold dish is a perfect summer recipe for when the heat hits hard.
True fact! Try to find a tapas bar in the old town of Cádiz which doesn’t offer these potatoes as part of the menu. I bet you won’t.
Like most things in life, this is no coincidence. Temperatures get really hot in here around summer time and that’s why Andalusian cuisine offers so many cold dishes, including plenty of soups – gazpachos, salmorejos, ajoblanco – and salads. These ‘papas aliñás’ are a good example of those refreshing recipes which help alleviate the heat when things gets really hot.
Similarly to other popular Andalusian specialities, this is a simple and unpretentious recipe that can be eaten both as a tapa or as a starter. So honest and so lacking of any masking that the quality of the ingredients becomes key and the absolute focus if we want to achieve great results.
As a ‘disclaimer’ for purist I’ll state that the original recipe wouldn’t include green pepper. But as we always say here, we believe cooking shouldn’t be about strictly following a recipe as much as it should be about getting some inspiration to then add your personal touch. And I think the green pepper is a small licence that works really well here as it adds depth of flavour to the dish.
Go for it. It’s easy, quick, super healthy and very delicious. Just remember… buy the best quality ingredients you can afford!
INGREDIENTS
- 600 g Potatoes – approx. 2-3 medium-sized potatoes
- 100 g White Onion – approx. 1 small onion or 1/2 large one. Finely chopped
- 50 g Green pepper – approx. 1/4 green pepper, finely chopped.
- 2 tbsp Sherry vinegar
- 125 cl Extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh parsley
- 1/2 tbsp Pimenton - alternatively any other smoked paprika
- 1/2 tbsp Salt
METHOD
- Chop the onion and the pepper very finely. Put in a bowl together with the sherry vinegar and leave it to marinate.
- Wash the potatoes, put them in a pot and cover them with water. Bring to boil, then add the salt. Cook for around 25 minutes or until done inside (this will depend on the size of the potatoes). Let them cool down.
- Peel the potatoes and put them in a bowl together with the olive oil. Mash the potatoes and the oil, not too much. We’re not after a puree, this should have some texture. If you prefer it, you can also slide the potatoes which by the way, is the traditional way to do it.
- Mix the potatoes and the oil with the onion and green pepper marinade. Sprinkle some pimenton and some finely chopped fresh parsley.
This recipe is better served cold. However, the fridge has a negative impact on the flavour of the potatoes. So I’d recommend you to either leave it cool down at room temperature and then serve it or, alternatively, put the dish in the fridge but take it out 15 minutes before you serve it so that the potatoes recover their full flavour.
In Spain, the traditional way to eat these potatoes is together with some tuna in olive oil and a bit of chopped boiled egg on top. You can even add some olives if you like them. Give it a go… you’ll love it!
