Padrón peppers fritos

Snacks & sides

Padrón peppers fritos

Pimientos de Padrón fritos is the classic Spanish tapa: small green Padróns blistered in hot olive oil and finished with flaky salt. Most are mild and sweet, and roughly one in ten bites back, which is half the fun.

For the classic mild Padrón, pick them small and green, around 3 to 5 cm.

  • Prep 5 min
  • Cook 5 min
  • Total 10 min
  • Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 400 g Padrón peppers
  • 60 ml extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 g flaky sea salt
  • 1 g freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped (optional)
  • 10 g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)
  • 1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve (optional)

Method

  1. Step 1

    Prepare the peppers

    Rinse the Padróns under cold running water and pat them dry with a clean tea towel. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers but isn't smoking.

  2. Step 2

    Blister the peppers

    Add the peppers in a single layer, working in batches if your pan is small. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes a side, turning with tongs, until blistered and charred in spots.

  3. Step 3

    Season

    Turn the heat to low. If you're using garlic, add it and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Take the pan off the heat, season with the salt and pepper, and toss to coat.

  4. Step 4

    Serve

    Tip onto a plate, scatter with parsley if you're using it, and serve hot with lemon wedges and a cold drink.

Grow your own

The chillies in this recipe are easy to grow from seed in New Zealand.

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