SERVES 4 TO 6
These Galician potatoes, boiled in the peel (en la monda, they call it in Galicia), are served with grilled fish and meats and, most famously, with boiled octopus (see page 91)—or, to be more precise, under the octopus in order to absorb the cephalopod’s flavorful juices. These potatoes are especially nice in spring and summer, when the potato peel is fine and papery.
1. Scrub the potatoes but do not peel. Place them in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add a generous pinch of salt and the bay leaf, reduce the heat to medium-low, partly cover the pot, and gently boil until tender and the tip of a knife penetrates with little resistance, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain.
2. Quarter the potatoes and slip off the peels with your fingers, if desired. Arrange them on a wide platter, generously drizzle with olive oil, and lightly dust with paprika and salt flakes before serving.