Potatoes are always in our kitchens and we use them all the time. But eating the same old mashed or simple roasted potatoes gets boring pretty fast. Food experts over at sites like The Dinner Bite say garlic butter smashed potatoes give you a super fluffy inside while staying real crispy on the outside. It is an easy dish that goes well with almost any meal you cook. Here is how you can quickly make this popular side dish right in your own home.
Gathering the right potatoes
The base for your recipe is two pounds of small baby potatoes. Thin skinned potatoes become wonderfully crispy when they are roasted. If you prefer, Yukon gold or red potatoes may also be used if you want your baby potatoes to have an even smoother and more delicate texture. Potatoes must be of roughly the same size so that they do not overcook or even worse, burn, when placed on the pan to be roasted.
Preparing the potatoes for roasting
Clean potatoes under cold running water, then dry completely with a clean kitchen towel. It’s best to have potatoes completely dry, otherwise they’ll steam rather than roast. Halve all of the potatoes, then put them into a bowl. As always, irregular is better and it won’t matter if some of the potatoes are on the smaller side, they will just get crispy!
Adding the basic seasoning mix
Grab three tablespoons of olive oil and splash it over your bowl of potatoes. Stir until every edge has a shiny layer. Now sprinkle in half a teaspoon of black pepper and a single teaspoon of sea salt. Take a big mixing spoon or just roll up your sleeves and use your hands to toss it all together.
Arranging the baking sheet properly
Take a large metal baking sheet and spread the potatoes out in a single layer so they have plenty of room to breathe. Turn each potato half so the flat cut side is facing down against the metal surface. This little trick is the absolute secret to getting that gorgeous golden brown crust that everyone fights over at the dinner table.
The initial baking process
Place the pan on the center shelf of an oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Don’t even think about opening that oven door for 25 minutes. If you open it, all of that heat will escape. That oven temperature will get that skin all crispy, but the inside of those potatoes will get really fluffy.
Creating the garlic butter coating
Put 2 tablespoons of butter in a microwave safe dish and let it melt. Put the potatoes in the oven. Finely chop 4 cloves of garlic. Let the butter and garlic rest for 5-10 minutes. You don’t want to over cook your garlic. Don’t do this step until the potatoes have been in the oven for about 10-15 minutes. The garlic will become bitter and charred.
Flipping the potatoes midway
Set the pan on top of the stove after twenty-five minutes. Take a simple flat spatula and flip all your potatoes over. Look for that great-looking brown layer that built up on the bottom. If they feel stuck down, don’t sweat it. A fast scrape with the spatula gets them unstuck in seconds.
Applying the garlic butter flavour
While the potatoes are on the pan, pour the hot garlic butter evenly over them. Using a spatula, mix the potatoes to ensure all the chunks are coated with the garlic. Put the pan in the hot oven and cook until you smell the garlic and the potatoes are to your liking, approximately another 10 minutes.
Adding fresh herbs for colour
The cooked potatoes come out of the oven. While the potatoes rest for a few minutes on the stove, chop up two tablespoons of fresh parsley and sprinkle it all over the roasted potatoes. Adding a sprinkling of fresh parsley makes the roasted potatoes more visually attractive. The green parsley adds a little brightness, cuts some of the butter, and adds a nice herb flavor to the dish.
Serving your finished side dish
Transfer the cooked potatoes into a serving bowl and try to collect as much as you can from the tray. These potatoes would serve approximately four people and are a great addition to grilled chicken or baked fish. If you plan to make these, you should think about doubling the batch. This dish is usually gone within the blink of an eye.
