Bravas Potato Salad

I know this is gonna sound so cliché, but I backpacked through Europe, and yes, it changed my life. This was a time before Airbnb, when I had to go to an internet café to log on and I carried an international phone card to call home. I took a one-way flight, bounced around with no itinerary, and had my Eat, Pray, Love moments. I ate papas bravas daily, the iconic tapa that you’ll find at every bar and restaurant. They are crispy fried potatoes covered in a spicy sauce that is either mayonnaise- or tomato-based, or even a combination of both. It gets a subtle warmth from pimentón picante, Spanish hot paprika, and an intense smolder from Pimentón de la Vera (PDO), a smoked variety from the Extremadura/La Vera region of Spain. Paprika is essential to Spanish cuisine, used in chorizo, paella, and stews, and as a dusting for nearly every tapa.

This potato salad is inspired by the flavors of all those papas bravas, even providing a fried crunch from crushed potato chips. If you can find real-deal Spanish pimentón, do go for it, but to keep things accessible, I opted for a combo of smoked paprika and cayenne pepper instead. The dressing will taste aggressively acidic at first, but add a pinch of salt at a time, toss, and taste. The salt will temper and balance the vinegar’s perky punch, while the potatoes gently break down into a creamy sauce.

This recipe was excerpted from ‘Start Here' by Sohla El-Waylly, one of the best cookbooks of 2023. Buy the full book on Amazon.