Patatas Bravas… SA style

I’ve been wanting to make Patatas Bravas for ages now. I love the idea of spicy cubes of crisp potatoes with a rich tomato sauce. And I absolutely LOVE tapas. And so when I wanted to make it as a side dish last night, I spotted the boerewors in the fridge and remembered Nina from My Easy Cooking, posting about a Boerewors Patatas Bravas last year. I knew I had to try it.

With the World Cup coming up, it’s also a perfect dish to serve as a snack while watching the Soccer. Boerewors is South Africa’s contribution to the sausage world and I haven’t found a single South African who doesn’t like it. A trip to my butcher on a Saturday wouldn’t be complete without their grandchildren braai-ing Boerewors rolls outside. The smell of the spiced meat and fat grilling just puts a smile on my face.

Patatas Bravas can be cooked many different ways but I choose to roast the Boerewors and potatoes before hand to ensure that the potatoes are nice and crisp.

This is enough for a big pan of Patatas Bravas, enough to serve 10-12 for snacks or 6 as a meal

6 Large potatoes, peeled and cubed
1tsp Paprika
1tsp Barbeque Spice
1tsp Salt
1kg Boerewors or sausage of your choice (thinking now, this would be GREAT with Chorizo)
1 large onion, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
6 Sundried tomatoes, finely chopped
2 red chillies, finely chopped (seeds removed if you don’t want it too spicy)
1 tin chopped tomatoes, half the liquid discarded
2tbsn tomato paste
Fresh Thyme to scatter over when serving
Salt & pepper to taste

• Combine the potatoes, paprika, barbeque spice and salt and place on a baking tray. Roast for 30-45 minutes at 200°C until golden and crisp. Roast the boerewors at the same time until cooked and golden.
• In a large pan/wok, fry the onions and garlic in some olive oil until translucent and soft. Add the sundried tomatoes and chillies and fry for 2 minutes.
• When the Boerewors is cooked, slice into smaller pieces and add to the wok with the potatoes. Fry the sausage and potatoes with the onion mixture for 4-5 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and stir to combine, allow to cook for 4-5 minutes.
• Season to taste and serve hot with crusty bread or a side salad.