Hot Potatoes!

To call these "smashed" suggests a totally very different kind of dish. However, these are only "smashed" in the sense that they are flattened -- not mashed. And crispy. And flavorful.  And garlicy.  And a perfect base for a poached egg. Oozing yolk. Oh yes, talk to me. 

I've made this recipe using small, red skinned potatoes, and now larger boiling potatoes. Both versions work well. Just offer different results. But who can argue with potatoes? I mean really -- "I hate crispy potatoes bathed in olive oil and roasted garlic!" - said no one ever. Without further ado...

Ingredients for two servings:

2 round white potatoes or 4 red bliss potatoes (although really, any small potato will do),             fork pricked

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 eggs, poached

4 scallions, chopped

olive oil 

Kosher salt + pepper

white vinegar

Directions:

1. Fill a pot with cold water, place potatoes in water and bring to a boil, cook until just fork tender 

2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees

3. Peel garlic by placing garlic on a cutting board, covering it with the blade of a chef's knife or santoku knife, and pressing down on the blade of the knife with the palm of your hand

4. Chop the garlic and place in a lightly-oiled cast iron skillet, cook on low until just golden brown, set to the side and re-oil the cast iron skillet

5. When the potatoes have finished cooking in the boiling water, place potatoes into the same lightly=oiled cast iron skillet where you cooked the garlic

6. With the bottom of a drinking glass or mason jar, lightly press the potatoes until they just burst open, brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper
7. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat potatoes with olive oil

8. Cook the potatoes for 18 minutes in the oven, then remove from oven and place the golden brown garlic on top of the crispy potatoes, cook for another 4 minutes

9. Crack each egg into its own ramekin

10. Chop scallions

11. Bring a pot of water to boil and add in vinegar.  Take the back of a wooden spoon and swirl the water to create a mini-whirlpool, then slowly pour each egg from its ramekin into the water, cook each egg 2-1/2 to 3 minutes, depending on how firm you like your yolk, remove with a slotted spoon when eggs are finished cooking

12. Plate half of the potatoes onto each plate, and one egg on top of each potato mixture

13. Season with extra salt + pepper (if you'd like) plus chopped scallions

Potatoes:

Scallions + garlic:

Pricking the potato:

Smashing the garlic -- please be careful:

Pulverized:

Skinless:

Minced:

Sizzle, sizzle:

Smash:

Finished product:

What's your favorite way to cook potatoes?  Hope you enjoy...

xx,

The Future Mrs. Wolf