Revolconas Potatoes recipe

Revolconas potatoes, also known as meneás potatoes, are a fundamental part of the national gastronomy. Typical of Avila, Salamanca and the north of Extremadura (especially Cáceres), this recipe is simple and tasty. A dish of humble origin that was originally made by the peasants and goat herders who took advantage of the surpluses to prepare recipes like this one. It is a dish of mashed potatoes, seasoned with paprika. In many bars and restaurants they tend to serve the revolconas potatoes as tapas. It is also not unusual to find them as a garnish on some meat or fish dish.

It is a traditional recipe that is usually served with torreznos, bacon or even sausage on top of the mashed potatoes. These ingredients give flavor to the revolconas potatoes that everyone likes.

Ingredients of revolconas potatoes

  • Potatoes (4 large ones), La Vera paprika (2 tablespoons), bacon, torreznos or pork fat (100 gr.), garlic (4 cloves), bay leaves, salt and olive oil.

Preparation:

  1. We cut and peel the potatoes. We put them in to cook with 2 bay leaves and a spoonful of salt. They must be covered by water. Ideally, the potatoes are the same size, so they will be done at the same time and none will be raw.
  2. It is best to put the pot on high heat until the potatoes boil. Let’s do it for 20 minutes. You can puncture the potatoes to check if they are tender.
  3. While the potatoes are cooking, you can peel the garlic and cut it into slices.
  4. We will put them in a frying pan with a drizzle of oil until they are golden brown, making sure we don’t burn them.
  5. When the potatoes are finished, we strain them, but not without first saving a glass of the water in which the potatoes were cooked.
  6. So that the paprika does not burn, remove the skillet from the fire and pour in the two tablespoons. Stir. Put the water from the potatoes over the heat with the paprika, and when a homogeneous mixture is left, we turn off the heat.
  7. To make the mashed potatoes, mash them with a fork or pass through a raisin purée. Pour the paprika mixture over the potatoes and stir until the ingredients are mixed. We can also pour the remaining water from the cooking of the potatoes (so it will be more or less thick according to our desired taste).
  8. To give it some final flavor, stir it in a frying pan until the bacon or torreznos (previously cut into small pieces or strips) is crispy. You can also buy the bacon made.
  9. Serve the revolconas potatoes hot with the bacon on top.

Text: María Jesús Colombo


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