Comfort food

Crispy Smashed Potatoes

Photo and text by KARA DiCAMILLO/ecoRI.org News contributor

One vegetable that you can count on almost always this time of year at the farmers market is potatoes. 

Potatoes can be used for so many different things, so they are a staple in my household. 

Maplewood Farms in Portsmouth is a 37-acre farm that was founded in 1950, and I always buy a 10-pound bag of white potatoes at the Saturday market in Bristol.

While you’ll need to set some time aside for this recipe, you’ll love the result. They are flavorful, and the browned edges make for a nice presentation for a dinner party. Not to mention they are so easy and healthy, too.

Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Serves 4

8 potatoes (white, red bliss or Yukon gold)
8 teaspoons of olive oil, plus 4 tablespoons
8 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary, minced
Salt
Freshly cracked pepper

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Make sure the potatoes you choose are all roughly the same size. Wrap each potato individually with foil and divide the 8 tablespoons of olive oil, garlic and rosemary evenly between the 8 packets. Place on a baking sheet and roast for about 45 minutes (depending on size) or until tender. Remove from oven and let them cool slightly so you can handle them. Increase your oven temperature to 500 degrees.

Unwrap each potato and place them on the same baking sheet. Place another baking sheet over the top of the potatoes and press down slightly to smash. Season with salt and pepper and then drizzle them with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Turn them to coat evenly.

Roast the potatoes for 15 minutes and then drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Turn them again to coat, and continue roasting for another 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.