Papas arrugadas, or 'wrinkly potatoes', are a beloved snack in the Canary Islands, often served with drinks rather than as a side dish. The dish reflects the islands' history as a stopover for potatoes arriving from Peru to Europe. For the best results, use new season potatoes with thin, delicate skins, such as Jersey Royals, which are in peak season in the UK now.
The traditional method involves cooking potatoes in heavily salted water until the salt crystals cling to the skins. Originally, seawater was used, but today coarse salt is preferred. Fine salt can make the potatoes unpalatably salty, so it's best avoided. The amount of salt should be about one-sixth of the weight of the potatoes, though the exact quantity is flexible as not all salt ends up on the plate.
Cooking in highly salted water gives the potatoes a creamier texture and more intense flavour, due to osmosis drawing out moisture. This technique is also used in Colombian and upstate New York cooking. Once cooked, the potatoes are served with a fiery dipping sauce, reflecting Portuguese and African influences on Canarian cuisine.
