The secret to this recipe is cooking the potatoes two ways: first by par-boiling them in salted water until tender, and then smashing and roasting them in a hot oven until crispy and golden. The extra steps are 100% worth it, and once you cook potatoes this way, you won’t go back! Recipe is inspired by Cookie & Kate.
CRISPY SMASHED POTATOES WITH PARMESAN & GARLIC
These potatoes may not win any beauty contests, but they will win any taste test!
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds small-to-medium red or yellow potatoes
3 tablespoons plus ¼ teaspoon salt, divided
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, chives and/or green onion
A few lemon wedges
INSTRUCTIONS
To prepare the potatoes, scrub them clean if dirty and rinse under running water. Remove and discard any nubby sprouting areas. Place the potatoes in a large Dutch oven or soup pot.
Fill the pot with water until the potatoes are submerged and covered by 1 inch of additional water. Add 3 tablespoons of the salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and continue cooking until the potatoes are very easily pierced through by a fork (smaller potatoes are done around 20 minutes, and medium around 25 minutes).
While the potatoes cook, preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over a large, rimmed baking sheet. Brush the oil so it’s evenly distributed over the sheet.
When the potatoes are done, drain them in a large colander and let them cool for about 5 minutes, until they can be handled safely.
Evenly distribute the potatoes over the prepared baking sheet, and use a potato masher or a serving fork to gently smash each potato to a height of about ½ inch. (Thinner potatoes are more crispy.)
Drizzle the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil over the smashed potatoes. Add ¼ teaspoon salt and freshly ground pepper over the potatoes.
Bake until the potatoes are nice and golden on the edges, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and toss the potatoes with the minced garlic and a hefty dusting of freshly grated parmesan, and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with chopped fresh herbs, a squeeze of lemon juice, and an extra bit of parmesan cheese if you feel inclined!