8 baby red-skinned potatoes
Salted water
1 to 2 tablespoons (15 mL to 30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
Seasonings to taste (such as coarse salt, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika)
Makes 8
A no-grate alternative to potato latkes – and a terrific way to get your frustrations out by beating up on a potato. Recipe doubles or triples easily. Good topped with a dab of goat cheese. If you like, during the last 5 minutes of baking sprinkle each potato with some grated cheese.
Boil potatoes in salted water 15 to 20 minutes, or until fork-tender. Drain well. Place potatoes in a single layer, about 3 inches (8 cm) apart, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Cover one potato with a piece of parchment paper. Smash once or twice with the flat part of your palm, making a flat disc about 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter. Round off ragged edges by pushing them together with your fingers. Repeat with remaining potatoes.
Brush tops of smashed potatoes lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with seasonings. Bake, uncovered, in a 400-degree F (200C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden and crispy. If desired, turn potatoes over halfway through baking and brush second side with oil.
Variation: As an alternative, consider Laura Frankel’s method from Jewish Cooking for All Seasons (Wiley Publishing, 2006), a wonderful cookbook. She roasts new potatoes on a baking sheet for about an hour at 350 degrees F (180C), then smashes them and pan-fries them in olive oil until they’re crispy and brown, about 5 minutes per side. Frankel says that, sprinkled with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, they’re addictive.
Approximate nutritional content per serving:
Calories……………………………..120
Protein……………………………….2 g
Fat…………………………………….2 g
Carbohydrates……………………23 g
Dietary fibre………………………..2 g
Sodium…………………………125 mg