Cut the potatoes into pieces, smaller than usual for roast potatoes, just larger than bite size. Place in a pan of boiling water and cook for around 5 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4.

Drain the potatoes and shake to roughen up the edges, this helps them to crisp up. Leave to steam dry for a few minutes. Ad the dripping or plenty of olive oil to a large roasting tray and place in the oven to heat.

Add the potatoes to the hot fat, season with salt and pepper, and turn to coat all sides of the potato pieces.

Cook the potatoes for about 15-20 minutes until golden and crisp on the bottom, then turn them over and return to the oven for another 15-20 minutes. Don't turn the oven up, they will harden rather than crisp up, and make sure there's enough fat.

While the potatoes are roasting, make the tomato sauce. Heat some olive oil in a frying pan and fry the onion until soft. Add the smoked paprika and chilli or cayenne.

Add the canned tomatoes to the onions, and use a knife and the back of a wooden spoon to cut into pieces. Season to taste and then simmer on a medium heat until you have a thick sauce.

When ready to serve and the potatoes are crisp and cooked, grate half a clove of garlic into the tomato sauce, stir in a splash of vinegar and heat through.

Transfer the sauce to a warmed serving dish and add the potatoes on top, this stops them getting soggy. I served the patatas bravas with a classic English cauliflower cheese, which is a bit of a cultural heresy but worked really well!