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Papas criollas fritas
Fried small yellow potatoes
Papas criollas fritas: small yellow Andean potatoes boiled, then fried whole until crisp and creamy inside
Little golden papas criollas are the potato Bogotá loves best: thin-skinned, buttery-yellow and so creamy they almost melt. At the asaderos along the roads out of the capital, and next to every plate of ajiaco or fritanga, they come fried whole, skin on, crackling outside and soft in the middle, with nothing but salt and a bowl of ají. Frozen papas criollas are sold in Latin American shops; otherwise use the smallest waxy yellow potatoes you can find. Frying them raw is the usual mistake: the skins brown before the insides are cooked. A quick boil first fixes that. Chef's tip: let the boiled potatoes steam dry for a few minutes and squash a few slightly with your palm before frying, so the split skins catch extra crunch.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ lb papas criollasor very small waxy yellow potatoes, scrubbed, skin on
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 3 ¼ cups sunflower oilfor frying
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt
- 4 tbsp ají picante (optional)Colombian chilli and coriander sauce, to serve
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Cover 1 ⅔ lb papas criollas with cold water in a pan, add 1 ½ tsp salt and bring to the boil. Cook until a skewer slides in with only slight resistance.
10 minStep 2: Drain and spread on a tray to steam dry. Press a few gently so their skins split.
5 minStep 3: Heat 3 ¼ cups sunflower oil in a deep pan to 350°F; a cube of bread should brown in about 40 seconds.
Step 4: Fry the potatoes in two batches, turning them, until the skins are crisp, golden and blistered.
7 minStep 5: Lift out onto kitchen paper, sprinkle with 1 tsp flaky sea salt while hot and serve with 4 tbsp ají picante if you like.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 250 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 35 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does papas criollas fritas take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
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