Pafritas are Crisps of Terroir
We work with exceptional artisan suppliers to create a higher quality crisp than any other. Origin matters.
Virgin Olive Oil
The key ingredient in Pafritas is pure, Spanish virgin olive oil, supplied by Kel Grupo from the Aceite de la Rioja DOP.
Carlos Aldama founded the 150-acre farm of Arbequina trees in Quel, the southeast corner of Rioja, in 2000. Today Kel Grupo is one of the most important producers in the area, using cutting-edge farming and extraction techniques to achieve the very best quality oils. Environmentally minded, they purify wastewater for reuse and use by-product olive stems to heat the facility. Pafritas crisps are fried in this olive oil, to which they owe their freshness, stability and exemplary taste.
Trufar Selección Winter Black Truffles
The Trufar Selección team with truffle dogs Lia and Iris
Trufar Selección is a family business that supplies our winter black truffles, Tuber melanosporum.
Trufar Selección's precious winter black truffles are harvested by José Manuel and Eduardo with their gifted truffle dogs Lía and Iris. These famed truffles are farmed across ten hectares of holm and Portuguese oak trees in Teruel, Aragon, a region responsible for around 70 per cent of the world’s production of winter black truffles. Their little farm is set at 1250 metres above sea level, with trees planted between 2013 and 2016. For every harvest, the family selects spores from the best specimens. These are then used to inoculate the trees for the next season.
Pimentón de la Vera PDO
Pafritas ‘La Riojana’ crisps are peppered with Europe’s most precious paprika, Pimentón de la Vera PDO.
This prized plant is produced throughout the northern parts of Cáceres in Extremadura. Pafritas uses agridulce-style paprika, made from the Jaranda and Jariza varieties that were brought to Europe from the Americas on Columbus' third journey. At harvest, the peppers are hand-picked before being transferred to double storey drying houses. Holm and acorn oak is set alight on the ground floor, with the peppers piled on the second. The two levels are separated by a grate that allows the peppers to be slowly smoked and dried over eight to 15 days. An enormous amount of care goes into this precious product – to enjoy them on potato crisps is a privilege. The ultimate taste of Spain.
Piment d’Espelette PDO
Production for these exceptional, highly sought-after Gorria peppers is centred around only 10 villages, one of which is Espelette, in the French part of the Basque Country. They are France’s only protected denomination of origin pepper and originally arrived from Mexico, with written records dating to the mid 1600s. Harvest takes place in autumn when the peppers are hand-picked and strung beneath the outdoor eaves of farmhouses for a minimum of 15 days. They undergo a quick pass through an oven to develop their flavour before being ground. Piment d’Espelette are sweeter than they are spicy, though they still boast a lively heat. The nuanced, complex flavour of these peppers pair perfectly with virgin olive oil-fried potato crisps.