My daughter made these to go with roasted salmon last week. They were frighteningly good, and everything that you want in a potato — crispy, salty, buttery, creamy. Just thinking about them now is making me hungry.
Because they involved several steps, they were more labor-intensive than traditional roasted, baked or mashed potatoes. I would probably only do them for small crowds (four to six maximum), but they really are spud heaven.
A word on the potatoes: Baby Yukons, fingerlings or red bliss potatoes are ideal for this dish; you want a small potato with a thin skin. Also, choose potatoes that are uniform in size for even cooking.
A word on the butter: If a pareve dish is desired, swap the butter for margarine or olive oil.
Smashed Potatoes
Serves 4-6
- 2 pounds baby new potatoes
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon dry thyme
- Black pepper to taste
Bring a large pot of water with 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil. Add the potatoes and simmer for 20-25 minutes until cooked through and tender. Drain and set aside.
Heat your oven to 450 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
Melt the butter, garlic, thyme, the remaining teaspoon of salt and pepper in the pot, and pour the potatoes back into the pot. Toss well to coat, and pour it onto a baking sheet with any excess butter.
Using a small measuring cup, press the potatoes to “smash” them to a thickness of about ¾ inch.
Roast the potatoes in the oven for about 30 minutes until brown and crispy.
