Baking is science and I don't like formulas, but cooking is art and anything goes...and the simpler the better. It's all about less time at the stove and more time at the table. With a forty year passion for food I'm excited to share what I do in the kitchen nearly every day.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Crispy Squashed Potatoes

Leftovers are rare whenever I make these, and embarrassingly simple.  Works with any potato, red, white, or baking.  After washing and drying potatoes pierce and place in a baking dish or any heavy pan large enough so there's lots of extra space around the potatoes.  Put them into a preheated 450 oven for an hour or until soft.  Take out, turn oven up to 550, and pour enough extra virgin olive oil into the pan to cover the bottom generously.  Then with a potato masher gently squash each potato individually so it splits open and flattens out onto the bottom of the pan.  Sprinkle with kosher salt and put back into the oven for a half an hour, should be brown and crisp on bottom and slightly browned around the edges on the top.   I found it helps to rotate the pan 180 degrees half way through both baking periods.  I often jazz this up by adding scallions or chopped garlic 15 minutes before it's finished and toss around before serving.  You could do the same with some parmesan cheese, the possibilities are endless.

No comments:

Post a Comment