Traditional dish with extra virgin olive oil from the Sierra de Segura, Andalusia
Ajoatao is a traditional dish from Jaén, originating from the mountainous region Sierra de Segura. This is one of those authentic Spanish recipes where olive oil plays the leading role. Ajoatao – also called Ajo atao (the "j" is pronounced like "h") – is a creamy puree of potato, garlic, egg yolk and extra virgin olive oil, emulsified to perfection.
This recipe reminds me of my grandmother's cooking, who, whenever we were on holiday in Spain, would prepare lunch early in the morning, which always consisted of a hot dish.
You can serve it as a side dish with grilled meat, such as lamb and Rabo de Toro from the Sierra de Segura , or as a delicious spread on toasted bread as a tapa.
In the mountain cuisine of Jaén, there are many variations of so-called "Ajos". The word refers not only to garlic, but to the crushing or mashing of ingredients in a mortar. This version is called "atao", because the puree is "bound" by hand into a smooth emulsion.
Below you can read step-by-step instructions on how to make the classic version – a simple but flavorful Spanish recipe that showcases the pure tastes of Andalusia, from the heart of the Sierra de Segura. We ate this with Rabo de Toro.
Ingredients
- 500 g potatoes
- 2 to 3 cloves of garlic
- Salt
- 1 egg yolk (preferably organic)
- A few drops of lemon juice
- 175 ml high-quality extra virgin olive oil , such as Oro de Genave or Señorio de Segura
Preparation
1. Boil potatoes
Boil the potatoes in water until soft. Let them cool, peel them and set aside.
2. Crush garlic
Place the garlic with a little salt in a mortar and crush to a smooth paste.
3. Add potatoes
Add the potatoes and crush everything into a creamy puree.
4. Egg yolk and lemon
Stir the egg yolk and a few drops of lemon juice into the mixture.
5. Emulsify with olive oil
Add the extra virgin olive oil little by little while continuing to stir in one direction (clockwise). This will give you a perfectly bound structure – in Jaén, they say it's "bien atao". We used an immersion blender to achieve a nice smooth texture.
6. Serve
Serve the Ajoatao as a tapa on toasted bread or as a side dish with grilled meat. We ate this with Rabo de Toro .
Buen provecho!
