At Café Bar La Revuelta — the bar that sat inside the fuel station complex on the edge of the village — the tapas menu was chalked up on a board every day. Lucio ran the bar; his wife Mari-Carmen ran the kitchen, and between 2014 and 2016 it was the kind of place where you knew what you were getting without needing to ask. The fuel station eventually closed — the underground storage tanks needed replacing, and the owner decided the cost wasn't worth it — but the bar carried on regardless. While it lasted, it was good.

Among the regulars on that chalkboard was one word: Montón. No description, no translation needed. Locals knew. A mountain of potatoes, slow-cooked in olive oil with garlic and onion. No egg, no garnish. Just comfort, served hot and unannounced.

I've made it a regular fixture at Casa Adora ever since. It's one of those dishes that asks very little — waxy potatoes, olive oil, garlic, onion, and time — and gives a great deal back. One pan, low heat, and patience. The potatoes soften and take on the oil and garlic, the edges catch slightly, and what comes out is deeply savoury and completely satisfying.

Serve it as a tapa alongside other dishes, or pile it high as a side. Crusty bread alongside if you have it.

Montón de Patatas Recipe

Serves 2–3

1kg waxy potatoes, peeled or scrubbed and cut into thick rounds or chunky pieces

1 large onion, thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, smashed

100ml extra-virgin olive oil

Sea salt and white pepper

Heat the olive oil gently in a wide pan. Add the garlic and onion, then layer in the potatoes. Season well. Cover and cook over a low heat for 25–30 minutes, turning occasionally, until the potatoes are soft and golden with slightly crispy edges.

Pile onto a plate or shallow bowl and serve hot. No garnish required.

If you want to take it further — a handful of chorizo added with the onions, or a few chilli flakes, or melting cheese on top — it takes all of it well. But the plain version is the one worth knowing first.

This recipe is part of the Potato Recipes — The Flexible Chef's Complete Collection — every potato recipe from Casa Adora and the road. Explore the full collection.

Wonky photos, proper spuds, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef