Barceloneta Potato Bombas
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5
21 reviews
Excellent
Barceloneta Potato Bombas
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Barceloneta Potato Bombas are fried potato balls filled with a flavorful blend of ground beef and pork, enhanced by grated tomato, paprika, and chili flakes. The potato mixture is seasoned and combined with an egg, then coated with flour, egg wash, and breadcrumbs before frying until golden. Served with allioli and a smoky bravas sauce, these bombas offer a rich texture contrast and layered savory taste.
Description
This recipe for Barceloneta Potato Bombas features Yukon Gold potatoes cooked and mashed, then combined with egg, olive oil, and seasoning to form a dough. The filling consists of ground beef and pork cooked with onion, grated tomato, garlic, and seasoning including paprika and chili flakes for a smoky, mildly spicy flavor. The filling is encased in the potato dough, then coated with flour, egg wash, and breadcrumbs before being fried in vegetable oil to achieve a crispy exterior.
Accompanying the bombas is an allioli made by slowly cooking garlic cloves in olive oil until tender and blending them with mayonnaise and lemon juice. The bravas sauce combines olive oil, flour, sweet and smoked paprika, chicken broth, and spices to form a smooth spicy sauce.
These potato bombas make a hearty appetizer or snack, ideal for serving alongside the allioli and bravas sauce. The breading provides a crisp shell while the interior delivers a savory, juicy filling paired with smooth potato.
Use a deep fryer if possible to maintain steady oil temperature and reduce mess during frying.Measure ingredients carefully to get evenly sized bombas; peeling potatoes slightly changes the yield.Adjust salt amounts when using table salt instead of kosher salt, as it is stronger.For gluten-free bombs, substitute gluten-free flour and breadcrumbs as needed.
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Ingredients
Allioli:
- 6 cloves garlic peeled and left whole
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- lemon juice of ½ lemon
- kosher salt
Filling:
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped, small or ½ large
- 4 ounces ground beef 113 grams
- 4 ounces ground pork 113 grams
- ½ tomato flesh grated on a box grater, skin discarded
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika regular
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- chili flakes to taste, or cayenne pepper
Potatoes:
- 2 ½ pounds Yukon Gold potato peeled and cubed, 1.13 kg
- kosher salt
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 egg large
Bravas sauce:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika regular
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons chicken broth
- kosher salt
- Pinch cayenne pepper or more to taste
To finish:
- vegetable oil for frying
- all-purpose flour as needed
- 2 to 3 egg beaten, large
- dried breadcrumbs as needed
Instructions
- To make the allioli: In a small saucepan combine the garlic cloves and olive oil and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the garlic is tender and honey gold (occasionally tilt the pan as needed to keep the garlic submerged–even off the heat the olive oil should be hot enough to keep cooking it). Watch the garlic carefully so that it does not overcook. Lift the garlic cloves from the oil with a slotted spoon and set aside on paper towels to cool. Reserve the garlic oil for another use (1 tablespoon will be used later for the allioli).
- In a small food processor fitted with the metal blade, puree the garlic cloves, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of the garlic oil. Taste, season with salt, and pulse to mix. Scrape the allioli into a lidded storage container and chill for up to 3 days. You should have about 1 cup allioli.
- To make the filling: In a large non-stick skillet heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, and cook until softened. Then add the ground beef and pork, and cook, breaking the meat up into small pieces with the edge of a wooden spoon, until no longer pink and most of its natural liquid has evaporated. Add the grated tomato, paprika, garlic, salt, and cayenne and continue cooking until the remaining liquid has absorbed/evaporated. Set aside to cool completely.
- To make the potatoes: Add the cubed potatoes to a pot and cover with cold water by at least an inch. Salt generously and bring to a boil over high heat, being careful it doesn’t boil over (lower the heat as needed). Boil the potatoes until they are easily pierced with a fork, drain and then return to the pot off the heat. Add the olive oil and mash the potatoes with a potato masher until smooth. Adjust seasoning if needed. Let the potatoes cool slightly and then mash in the egg (you don’t want the potatoes super hot or else the egg will cook). Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- To assemble the bombas: Scoop ¼ cup of the potato mixture at a time into the palm of your hand. You can slightly wet your hands as needed if the potato starts to stick to your hands during this process. Carefully pat the scooped potato into a disc about ½-inch thick in the palm of your hand. Add 1 tablespoon of the cooled meat filling into the center, then carefully cup your hand to start bringing the edges of the potato together and use your other hand to pinch it closed. Smooth into a round ball and set aside as you continue shaping the remaining bombas. The bombas can be refrigerated at this point until you are ready to bread and fry them.
- To make the bravas sauce: Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour and paprikas and whisk for a couple minutes to ensure the flour starts to cook. Slowly add the chicken broth while continuing to whisk into a smooth sauce. It will thicken more once the mixture comes up to a boil. Season with salt and cayenne pepper. This sauce can be served hot, warm, or room temperature.
- To finish the bombas: To each of 3 wide bowls add flour, beaten eggs, and dried breadcrumbs to set up a dredging station. Dredge each bomba one at a time in the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs, and set aside on a clean tray or work surface until remaining bombas are breaded. You can also bread them in batches as you fry them, but this can get messy.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to 350°F. You’ll want the oil to be deep enough so the bombas will be fully submerged once you add them to the oil. Fry the breaded bombas in batches for about 2 minutes each or until they are golden brown. If you fry them much longer the balls may start to crack open. Set finished bombas aside on a paper towel-lined tray or sheet pan to drain. Serve bombas immediately with the allioli and bravas sauce.
Notes
- Use a deep fryer if possible to maintain steady oil temperature and reduce mess during frying.
- Measure ingredients carefully to get evenly sized bombas; peeling potatoes slightly changes the yield.
- Adjust salt amounts when using table salt instead of kosher salt, as it is stronger.
- For gluten-free bombas, substitute gluten-free flour and breadcrumbs accordingly.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Serving
1bomba
Calories
292kcal
(15%)
Carbohydrates
17g
(6%)
Protein
8g
(16%)
Fat
24g
(37%)
Saturated Fat
4g
(20%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
7g
(41%)
Monounsaturated Fat
9g
(45%)
Cholesterol
55mg
(18%)
Sodium
335mg
(14%)
Potassium
271mg
(6%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
1g
(2%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 20bombas
Amount Per Serving
Calories 292 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1bomba | |
| Calories | 292kcal | 15% |
| Carbohydrates | 17g | 6% |
| Protein | 8g | 16% |
| Fat | 24g | 37% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 7g | 41% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Cholesterol | 55mg | 18% |
| Sodium | 335mg | 14% |
| Potassium | 271mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
21 reviews
Excellent
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