PATATES FARCIDES - STUFFED POTATOES

This recipe is a family favourite. My husband always wanted my mum to make it for him when she asked him what he'd love to eat when we returned home to Catalonia. It is totally comfort food and you will need loads of crusty bread to mop up the sauce. It's my first attempt and it posed a bit of a challenge, because I wasn't given any measures for the ingredients, but it turned out fantastically good! I made a big one and we had enough for 2 people for 3 nights. You can add a salad as a side and you have a fantastic main meal. Remember, though, it is quite elaborate and it is more of a weekend recipe. If you let it rest, the following day is even better, but you might have to add some water to the sauce if it is too thick. Check to see if it needs seasoning.

Ingredients
2-3 kg medium potatoes, peeled

flour for dusting
olive oil

salt & pepper

Stuffing:

250g pork mince

250g veal or beef mince

half bunch of Italian parsley, chopped finely

3 garlic cloves, mashed

1 tsp cinnamon

1 egg

salt & pepper 

Sauce:

1 large onion, finely chopped
400g tin chopped tomatoes or tomato passata

1 tsp sweet paprika
a good splash of both brandy and dry sherry

1 tsp sugar
salt & black pepper

25g butter
Picada:

3 garlic cloves

half small bunch of Italian parsley
5 roasted almonds
5 roasted hazelnuts

10 roasted pine nuts
1 Maria biscuit

Method
Using a melon baller, scoop a ball or two from the side of each potato. Keep the scooped flesh in a bowl

Put the pork & veal mince in a large bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and season with salt and pepper. Mix well, using your hands.

Put a small amount of the mince mixture in a small fry-pan with a bit of oil and fry. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
Fill the potato holes with the pork mince and reserve.

In another bowl, add some flour and dust the potatoes and potato balls with it. If you have any leftover mince mix, you can make some small meatballs. Reserve with the potatoes.

Heat some oil in a large frying pan and fry all potatoes and balls until lightly brown.

Transfer to a large ovenproof casserole. I use a traditional Catalan terracotta dish.

Cut the onion into big chunks and put in a small food processor. Chop finely.

Heatsome oil in a clean fry pan and add the onion. Fry until transparent and lightly browned.

Add the tomato and splash with some brandy. Cook for about 10 minutes.

Add the paprika, sugar, salt and pepper and let it cook for another 5 minutes or until it has a jam consistency.

Add 250ml of water to the sauce and bring to the boil.

Preheat oven to 160°C.

Pour the sauce on top of the potatoes using a fine mesh colander, and the pestle.

Make sure you put most of the solids through the sieve.

You will end up with a very thick sauce.

Add some more water to cover the potatoes and a big splash of sherry. Bring to the boil on the stove - if you are using a terracotta dish. If not, transfer to the oven. 

Cook in the oven for about 50 minutes. Check to see if the potatoes are cooked. You might need to add some more water half-way, if the sauce becomes too thick.

To make the picada:

Meanwhile, make the picada. If the almonds and hazelnuts are raw, roast them in the oven or under the grill for about 10 minutes or until the skin turns dark brown and they are very easy to peel. Put the pine nuts in a small dry fry-pan and fry until lightly brown.

Put a bit of salt at the bottom of a mortar and add the peeled garlic. Mash until it forms a paste. Add the parsley and mash well. Add the almonds, pine nuts and hazelnuts - a few at a time, and mash into a fine meal. 

Add the Maria biscuit cut into smaller bits and continue to mash until the whole 'picada' resembles a fine paste.

When the potatoes are almost cooked, add the picada and the butter and let it cook for another 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Taste for seasoning and serve.

Serves 6