Roasted Smashed Potatoes

How do you produce spuds with mashed-potato creaminess and crackly-crisp crusts without deep frying? It’s a pressing issue.

A cookbook recipe exclusively for ATK Essential members from How to Roast Everything

YIELD 4 to 6

How to Roast EverythingA cookbook recipe exclusively for ATK Essential members from How to Roast Everything

Why This Recipe Works

Gather Your Ingredients

Key Equipment

Key Equipment - The Best Paring Knives
Key Equipment - The Best Chef’s Knives for $75 or Less

Before You Begin

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This recipe is designed to work with potatoes 1½ to 2 inches in diameter; do not use potatoes any larger. It is important to thoroughly cook the potatoes so that they will smash easily. Remove the potatoes from the baking sheet as soon as they are done browning—they will toughen if left too long. A potato masher can also be used to “smash” the potatoes.

Instructions

1.

Adjust oven racks to top and bottom positions and heat oven to 500 degrees. Arrange potatoes on rimmed baking sheet, pour ¾ cup water into baking sheet, and wrap tightly with aluminum foil. Cook on bottom rack until paring knife or skewer slips in and out of potatoes easily (poke through foil to test), 25 to 30 minutes. Remove foil and cool 10 minutes. If any water remains on baking sheet, blot dry with paper towel.

2.

Drizzle 3 tablespoons oil over potatoes and roll to coat. Space potatoes evenly on baking sheet and place second baking sheet on top; press down firmly on baking sheet, flattening potatoes until 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle with thyme leaves and season generously with salt and pepper; drizzle evenly with remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Roast potatoes on top rack 15 minutes. Transfer potatoes to bottom rack and continue to roast until well browned, 20 to 30 minutes longer. Serve immediately.

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