There are many different ways to serve up potatoes around the world, and Spanish cuisine boasts the popular fried potato dish of patatas bravas. The birthdate of patatas bravas has been placed sometime during the 1950s, and the dish has no set recipe, so each variation uses different ingredients and is uniquely delicious.

Generally speaking, patatas bravas consists of fried potatoes cut into uneven chunks, which may vary in shape from wedges to cubes and more, topped with a sauce called salsa brava, made of tomato sauce, vinegar, and a source of heat such as cayenne pepper. Some variations use olive oil, chili, paprika, and vinegar instead.

Patatas bravas’ unique sauce is what makes it more of an appetizer than a main dish, and some eateries in Barcelona also add garlicky mayonnaise. Due to its adaptability, salsa brava attracts some controversy; some cooks say tomatoes are essential to the dish, while others allege the peppers are most veggie besides the potatoes.