I seem to have a theme going; potato stews with olives, herbs and spices. My first was Ben Tish’s roasted potatoes, then I discovered a tagine of monkfish with potatoes and now this wonderful stew.
As with all rustic dishes there are many variations. A white onion can be used in place of the red, the sweet potato is optional and could be replace by squash, peas could be added. Be generous with good quality olive oil as this lifts the dish.

Extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced
750g waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
1-2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
250g plum tomatoes, skinned
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp chilli flakes
Pinch of ground allspice (or Bristol pepper)
100g stoned, kalamata olives, roughly chopped
1 tsp kalonji seeds (or black onion seeds)
Small bunch parsley, roughly chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
100g feta, crumbled

Using a large frying pan with a lid on a medium heat, put in a few tablespoons of olive oil and fry the onion for about 10 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook for two minutes.

Add the potatoes and more oil. Let them cook for about 10 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes, oregano, chilli flakes and kalonji seeds. Cook, stirring, for a few minutes before adding the tomatoes. Season well.

Add a mug of water and bring to a simmer. Turn down the heat, cover with the lid and let cook for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through. Check from time to time to make sure the stew is not too dry and add more water if necessary. Stir in the olives and scatter the parsley and feta on top.

Serve warm with crusty bread or flatbread.