Stewed potatoes are a simple, filling casserole made with ingredients that are usually already in our kitchen. With tomatoes, onions, olive oil and a few herbs, you can whip up a delicious everyday meal without much preparation.
They are served hot with bread and, if you like, a little feta on the side.
Time and portions
Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 40–45 minutes Total time: approximately 1 hour Serves: 4 Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
* 1 kilo of potatoes * 1 large dry onion, approx. 150 g * 2 cloves of garlic * 400 g finely chopped tinned tomatoes or grated fresh tomatoes * 80 ml olive oil * 500 ml hot water * 1 bay leaf * 1 teaspoon oregano * 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika * 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste * 1/4 teaspoon black pepper * 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, optional
Execution
- Peel the potatoes, wash them thoroughly and cut them into fairly large pieces so that they do not fall apart during cooking.
- Finely chop the onion and garlic.
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and fry gently for 4–5 minutes, until softened but not browned.
- Add the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds.
- Add the finely chopped tomatoes, bay leaf, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper. Stir and leave the sauce to simmer for 4–5 minutes.
- Add the potatoes and stir carefully so that they are coated in the sauce.
- Pour in about 500 ml of hot water. The liquid does not need to cover the potatoes completely.
- Once the food has come to the boil, turn down the heat, cover the saucepan, leaving a small gap, and cook for about 35–40 minutes.
- Whilst cooking, gently shake the saucepan from time to time rather than stirring vigorously with a ladle, so as not to break up the potatoes.
- When the potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork and the sauce has thickened, remove from the heat. Remove the bay leaf and, if desired, add some finely chopped parsley.
- Leave the food to rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.
Useful tips
Choose potatoes that retain their shape relatively well when cooked, and avoid cutting them into very small pieces.
If there is too much liquid in the sauce at the end, leave the saucepan uncovered for a few minutes over a medium heat.
On the other hand, if the liquid has evaporated before the potatoes have softened, add a little more hot water.
Food tastes better if you leave it to rest for a few minutes before serving.
Alternative materials
If we don’t have fresh tomatoes, we use finely chopped tinned tomatoes or passata.
We can add 1 carrot, sliced into rounds, along with the potatoes.
For a stronger flavour, we can use a little thyme instead of oregano.
Those who prefer a slightly spicy flavour can add a small pinch of boukovo.
How are they preserved?
Leave the stewed potatoes to cool, taking care not to leave them at room temperature for several hours, and then place them in a sealed container in the fridge.
They can be kept in the fridge for about 2–3 days.
To reheat them, place them in a saucepan over a low heat with 1–2 tablespoons of water, as the sauce usually thickens quite a bit in the fridge. Heat thoroughly until the dish is piping hot throughout.
We do not leave cooked food at room temperature for a prolonged period.
What they go well with
The stewed potatoes can be served with country-style bread, olives and a seasonal salad.
If you’re not following a Lenten or vegan diet, they also go very well with a little feta.
