Bite This! Get Smashed

The most delicious way to prepare potatoes!! This works well with small new potatoes or fingerlings. If you are using bigger potatoes, make sure they are a variety that are good for roasting and cut in half (or thirds if the spuds are really big).

Method:

Preheat oven to 425 Degrees.

Chop a variety of fresh or dried herbs to taste (we like thyme and rosemary), and place in a small bowl. Add a generous tsp. of chopped garlic, fresh ground pepper, and about ½ tsp. smoked paprika (optional, but highly recommended). Mix ingredients together with a fork.

Scrub potatoes (leave skins on) and place in a pot of cold water with a generous pinch of sea salt. Bring to a boil and boil for about 5 minutes, until potatoes are par-cooked. Test by piercing a potato with a knife. It should go in with a little resistance (as opposed to just sliding in easily the way it would when the potatoes are fully cooked).

While potatoes are cooking, place a large cookie sheet with a good lip, in the oven to warm up.

Drain par-boiled potatoes well.

Remove hot cookie sheet (with an oven mitt!) and place several tablespoons of olive oil on the hot cookie sheet to coat.

Place thoroughly drained potatoes on the cookie sheet and using the bottom of a bottle, or a meat tenderizer, push down on each potato until they are just lightly smashed open. Pour another few tbsp. of olive oil over the smashed potatoes, sprinkle with the herb/garlic mixture and a little more sea salt, and bake in the oven until cooked, about 25 minutes.

Turn them throughout the cooking time, to allow all sides to brown evenly.

Remove potatoes from the oven and prepare yourself for the onslaught of compliments. Crispy on the outside, warm and soft on the inside. Mmm…Need we say more?