Crispy Smashed Potatoes

Name: Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Ingredients: 1 kg (2¼ lb) small waxy or new potatoes, about 4–5 cm across; fine sea salt, 10 g per liter for the water; 75 ml (⅓ cup) olive oil; flaky sea salt and black pepper; 2 tbsp parsley or chives, chopped

Boiled, flattened and roasted until lacy and crunchy

Serves: 4
Hands-on: 15 min
Total: 1 h 10 min
Level: Easy

Small potatoes boiled until tender, then flattened and roasted in olive oil, give you the most crunchy edges per bite of any potato dish. They're forgiving, ideal for a crowd, and need nothing more than salt and a good sauce.

Ingredients

1 kgsmall waxy or new potatoes (2¼ lb)about 4–5 cm across
fine sea salt10 g per liter for the water
75 mlolive oil (⅓ cup)
flaky sea salt and black pepper
2 tbspparsley or chiveschopped

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Dairy-free
Allergens: None of the EU 14

Method

Heat the oven to 230°C (450°F).
Cover the potatoes with cold water in a pot, salting at 10 g per liter. Simmer until completely tender, 15–20 minutes. Drain and let steam dry for 5 minutes. 22 min
Pour half the oil onto a sheet pan. Spread out the potatoes and press each one with the bottom of a glass or a potato masher until about 1.5 cm thick, with ragged, split edges.
Drizzle with the remaining oil and season with salt and pepper.
Roast until deep golden and crisp at the edges, 35–40 minutes, flipping once halfway with a thin spatula. 38 min
Scatter with herbs and flaky salt and serve hot.

Why it works

Fully cooking the potatoes first means the interiors are creamy before roasting. Smashing tears the skin and exposes fluffy flesh with lots of uneven surface; those thin edges dehydrate and brown quickly in hot oil, becoming lacy and crisp.

Common mistakes

Undercooking before smashing: they crack into chunks rather than flattening.
Smashing wet potatoes: let them steam dry so they crisp.
Flipping too early: they stick. Wait until the bottoms release naturally.

Variations

Spicy: Toss with 1 tsp smoked paprika before roasting and serve with Aioli.
Herby: Spoon over Salsa Verde or Chimichurri when they come out.

Make ahead and storage

Boil and smash up to 1 day ahead; refrigerate on the oiled tray and roast from cold, adding 5 minutes.

Notes

Fan oven: 210°C (410°F).