Healthy Vegan Patatas Bravas

For the Potatoes

• 2 pounds of fingerling or baby potatoes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Generous flaky sea salt
  
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Zest of a lemon
• 2 tbsp za'atar
  

For the Sauce

• 2 red bell peppers
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper
• Juice of a lemon
• Generous salt and pepper
• Half a 15-oz can of cannellini or great northern beans

Garnishes

• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• Leaves from 2 sprigs of fresh mint

1. Preheat the oven to 450.
2. Cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces of uniform size.
3. Place the potatoes on a metal baking sheet and toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes until golden and tender.
4. Meanwhile, fire-roast the peppers over a gas burner. If you don't have a gas stove, you can roast them under the broiler (in which case you'll want to do this before you start roasting the potatoes).
5. Place the peppers in a paper bag or in a closed container for five minutes while still hot. Then, using your hands or a towel, rub off most of the charred bits; this will ensure that the sauce stays bright red.
6. Mince the garlic finely. Then, in a skillet, combine olive oil with the minced garlic and the powdered spices (paprika, chili powder, cumin). Toast the spices over medium heat for several minutes until fragrant.
7. To a high-power blender, add the fire-roasted peppers, the oil with all the garlic and spices in it, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and about half a can of rinsed and drained white beans. Blend until smooth.
8. When the potatoes are almost finished roasting, remove them from the oven and toss them with lemon zest and za'atar. Return them to the oven for another couple minutes to finish cooking.
9. Remove the potatoes from the oven and add an additional sprinkle of salt.
10. Transfer the potatoes to a serving dish and top them with a few spoonfuls of the sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds and finely-chopped fresh mint and serve with additional sauce on the side.