Crash Hot Potatoes
These potatoes have been around a long time. I've heard tales of their wonder (from my mom), read about them on blogs, seen them on Pinterest. It was only after spying some darling little Yukon gold potatoes at the farmer's market this summer that I finally tried the recipe, and now there's no going back. I make these potatoes once a week for sure. My 7-year-old proclaims these as her very favorite food, and she will eat the entire pan if I let her. She would shout the glories of these babies from the rooftop if given the opportunity (the 5-year-old is another story...she cries when we ask her to try them. Life is hard ). These are the perfect side to any grilled meat, especially these pork chops. Slap em on a plate next to some BBQ, or beef roast, or chicken of any kind, steak, roasted fish, whatever, and you're golden. Now, when you read the recipe you are going to freak out because there are multiple steps--meaning the potatoes are cooked twice. Never fear. Each time I make these, I boil them as I'm home doing domestic things (or even the night before), crash them, season and get all ready for the oven. Then, when it's dinner time, all I have to do is take the pan from the fridge and throw it in the oven. Boom.
Crash Hot Potatoes
-from Pioneer Woman
- baby potatoes (I've used Yukon gold and red, both are good. Currently, we are working our way through a large bag of tiny mixed potatoes from Costco and they are fabulous). You just want to make sure the potatoes are pretty small, or at least that they are all uniform in size. I can probably squash 20 on my large sheet pan, but you do you.
- oil of your choice. Here is where I decide that I don't want to use olive oil as written in the recipe. We are going to roast these babies at high heat (475), so don't let that EVOO smoke away. I like avocado oil for this, but whatever you use for high heat cooking is great.
- salt/pepper
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously, and add potatoes. Boil until they are fork tender. Drain, arrange on a foil lined baking pan coated with cooking spray. Smash each potato until it's slightly flattened. Everyone says to use a potato masher for this, but I have had nothing but drama with that. I use, and highly recommend, the bottom of a juice glass. I get more even flattening that way, and don't lose potato parts to the grates of the masher. Sprinkle liberally with salt/pepper and then drizzle generously with oil (I think about 1 teaspoon per potato is just right, but no need to measure). Bake at 475 for 15 minutes, or until crisp and golden. These potatoes are da bomb!