The Papas Arrugadas
The Papas Arrugadas or arrugás (wrinkled potatoes) are a characteristic dish of the Canary Islands. Usually it is made with a particular variety of potatoes from the Islands, “the papa bonita”, but you can also use other varieties in the archipelago.
Originally from Peru, from where the Spaniards took them to the archipelago in the 16th century, the type of potato to be used for the preparation is small, generally “the papa bonita” .
Although they are a very simple dish they have their secret, history says that sea water was used to cook them, due to lack of drinking water, so it is deducible that they are prepared in various ways but that all are accumulated by salt.
Preparation
Here’s how to prepare the famous papas arrugadas: they are small boiled new potatoes and served with a sprinkling of coarse sea salt, generally accompanied by three typical sauces: mojo picón (chili), mojo verde (with parsley) and mojo de coriander (with coriander )
The procedure is simple: dip the tubers with the skin in the pot of water together with four or five big salt punches: in ancient times it was used sea water due to lack of drinking as we said.
Once boiled at the right point, simply check with a fork, dry them by wrapping them in a cloth and serve on the table accompanied by the famous typical sauces (mojo rojo and mojo verde). Born from the need to use the few foods available during long periods of drought, papas are today the classic of every typical menu.
