One of the joys of any visit to Spain is the insanely civilised approach to eating and drinking. Meals start late – 9pm is about the earliest any Spaniard will ever sit down to dinner, and most restaurants serve until midnight – and are lingered over for a while.

And tapas are an absolutely glorious way to dine – traditional small plates, tailored for sharing, and ideal for sopping up any excess cava, or Spanish beer. Here are six of my favourite Spanish tapas dishes, for the next time you’re in Spain. Or Catalonia, even.

Boquerones en Vinagre

If you thought anchovies were weird little whiskery things that came on pizza, think again. Marinated in vinegar – which serves to “cook” them – and seasoned with plenty of garlic and a few fresh herbs, they’re succulent, delicious and moreish.

Chorizo al Vino

I love the slightly dusty paprika spice of chorizo – yet cooking chunks of Spain’s favourite sausage in a little red wine brings out the richness of the flavours, intensifies the spice, and softens the meat. Served still bubbling, it’s simply gorgeous.

Gambas al Ajillo

Huge, fresh shrimp, good olive oil, a tonne of garlic – and that’s about it, really. Another extremely simple tapas dish, that’s packed with flavour, and really transforms the shrimp – a must-have in any Spanish seaside town.

Jamón Ibérico de Bellota

Spanish ham is rightly famous – but by far the best is Jamón Ibérico de Bellota. It’s made only in certain specific areas, from pigs who have grazed on wild acorns, and matured for sometimes as long as four years. And, yes, it really does melt in the mouth.

Pimientos de Padrón

The magic of Padrón peppers is that some are hot, and some are not: most have a mild flavour like a more intense green bell pepper, and around one in twenty has a kick like a mule. Fried in olive oil, and sprinkled with salt, they’re the perfect finger food.

Pulpo a la Gallega

I’m obsessed with octopus, and this classic Galician dish pairs octopus and potato with paprika, olive oil and a little parsley. There’s something about the chew of octopus and the smoothness of the boiled potatos that makes this a textural sensation.

Image credits: Boquerones en vinagre at Bravas Bar de Tapas in Healdsburg by Barnaby Dorfman and Jamon Iberico de Bellota (Figueras, Spain) by Charlievdb, both on Flickr’s Creative Commons.