spanish poor man's potatoes (tapa or side)

Recipe by
Chef Potpie (Laurel)
Southworth, WA

One of the most classic of Spanish dishes, this potato dish has endured since medieval times. It was peasant food, made of up of what was grown on the land. Today it is served everywhere, from tapas bars to high end restaurants. Usually served as a tapa, I served it with fried eggs and it was heavenly!

yield 4 serving(s)
prep time 10 Min
cook time 30 Min
method Pan Fry

Ingredients For spanish poor man's potatoes (tapa or side)

  • 3 md
    yukon gold potatoes
  • 1
    green bell pepper, cut into strips
  • 1
    red bell pepper, cut into strips
  • 1 lg
    onion, sliced thin
  • 6 large clove
    garlic, skins on
  • 1/3 c
    extra virgin olive oil
  • sea salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 1/3 c
    chopped fresh parsley

How To Make spanish poor man's potatoes (tapa or side)

  • 1
    Slice potatoes into 1/4-inch slices, then cut each slice into 4 evenly sized quarters. Place potato slices in a stock pot with just enough cold water to cover them and put heat to high. When boiling, reduce heat to a simmer.
  • 2
    Meanwhile, cut slit across the garlic cloves, but leave skin on.
  • 3
    Start checking potatoes after about 5 minutes. You want them al dente, (when pierced with a toothpick it should meet some resistance but go through), so they won't break up too much when frying.(Mine were ready at 6 minutes.) Drain the potatoes and run cold water over to stop the cooking. (You can do this earlier in the day, just leave them in the colander until ready to add them to the pan.)
  • 4
    In a large, deep skillet, heat 1/3 cup olive oil, then add the onions and garlic cloves and cook until onions are translucent, 3-4 minutes.
  • 5
    Now add the bell pepper strips and continue cooking, stirring, until bell peppers are tender, about 6 minutes.
  • 6
    Add the potatoes to the pan and mix so everything is coated with oil, then only mix carefully every 2 minutes or so after that so as not to break the potatoes up too much, eventually achieving a light golden color on the vegetables after 10-15 minutes.
  • 7
    Remove to a serving dish and sprinkle with parsley. Serve with fried eggs if desired. In your serving, when you come across a garlic clove, because of the slits you made earlier, just squeeze the sweetly cooked clove out onto your plate or right into your mouth! Delicious!

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