Crispy garlic smashed potatoes is a great way to enjoy potatoes with crispy skin and a creamy interior! Join Eric from Simply Elegant Home Cooking as he demonstrates this delicious but simple dish! In addition to being delicious, these potatoes are also highly versatile as they can be served alongside a fancy steak dinner but could also be served for breakfast as they have a consistency almost like a hash brown. For best results, use petite gold potatoes but any smaller potato will also work such as red. The reason this dish works so well is that the garlic is used to infuse the oil that the potatoes are fried in. this method avoids any possibility of burnt garlic but still manages to have a bold, garlicky flavor for the smashed potatoes.
Ingredients:
-16 petite gold potatoes
-4 tablespoons olive oil
-6 cloves garlic
-salt and pepper
-Italian parsley or other fresh herbs for garnishing
Directions
-Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with enough cold water for at least a 1 inch clearing over the potatoes.
-On medium high heat, bring the water up to a boil.
-Once a boil is reached, turn the temperature down to maintain a gentle rolling simmer.
-Cook potatoes for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick can easily pierce through the potatoes and also release without any effort.
-Strain the potatoes through a colander and allow them to sit out while you create the infused oil.
-Slice the garlic thinly and place into a cold skillet along with the olive oil. Turn the head onto medium and bring the garlic up to a sizzle.
-Once garlic is sizzling, turn heat down to medium low and continue to cook for several more minutes until garlic darkens a bit but does not begin to brown. Stir constantly.
-Once garlic has darkened but not browned, turn off the heat and strain the garlic out of the oil. Discard the garlic.
-At this point, use a potato masher or other device to smash the potatoes down into an even ½ inch thickness.
-Heat the infused olive oil over medium heat and add the potatoes. Cook each side for about 5 minutes or until golden and crispy.
-Top with the Italian parsley or other toppings of your choosing such as bacon bits or sour cream, serve and enjoy!