Serves 4 to 6
Notes
Everybody likes crispy potatoes, and though these require a little manual labor, they yield great results. You could also use small red potatoes, but Yukon Golds are extra creamy and delicious. Apply light but even pressure when smashing the potatoes; you want to flatten them, but you don’t want them to disintegrate. This recipe reminds me of the patate in tecia my grandmother used to make in her big cast-iron pot, a simpler rendition of home fries, softer in consistency and made with nothing but potatoes, onions, and olive oil.
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 1 1/2 pounds small Yukon Hold potatoes (about the size of walnuts in the shell)
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Fresh rosemary sprigs
- 4 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Put the potatoes in a large pot with salted water to cover by about 2 inches. Bring to a simmer, and cook until the potatoes are just tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain well.
Put the potatoes in a large bowl, drizzle with the olive oil, and season with 1 teaspoon salt. Add the rosemary and garlic, and toss well.
Pour the contents of the bowl onto the baking sheet, and use the bottom of a jar or a potato masher to bust open and flatten each potato, keeping them mostly whole.
Roast until the potatoes are very crisp and golden, about 20 to 25 minutes, and serve immediately.
