Smashed Baby Red Potatoes

The potatoes in the foreground and panini in the background

I believe I may have mentioned before that I love potatoes. For some reason they seem to touch something primal inside of me. When I was a kid, every meal was meat and potatoes and though I still love that combination I don't actually have it that often any more. 

Today we're just as likely to have some form of rice (which I NEVER had growing up) or maybe even noodles as we are to have potatoes - but that doesn't mean I don't love them as much today as I did in the past, I just don't give in to that urge quite as often.

A few months ago I tried something new - well, new to me anyway. My wife loves it and told me I should share my recipe - especially since I made it last night and my daughter (who had never tried it before) seemed to love it as much as the rest of us.

Ingredients

• 12 small red potatoes (you can use any small potatoes you like - my preference for this recipe is the red potatoes)
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil (just enough to cover the cookie sheet you'll be using and brushing the tops of the potatoes with later)
• Kosher salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste

Optional ingredients

• Parmesan cheese to taste
• Rosemary to taste
• Oregano to taste
• Garlic powder to taste
• Onion powder to taste

Use as many of these as you'd like or none of them. Some other herb or spice you like? Use that. You can use either fresh or dried, both work just fine. I like to use dried rosemary and grind it directly over the potatoes.

Directions

1. Put the potatoes in a pot of water and boil and cook until they are fork tender. For the amount I did, once it was boiling it took about 15 minutes
   
   
   
   

   

   
   

2. Drain the potatoes and let cool
3. Take a cookie sheet and generously drizzle the olive oil onto it. You don't want to be too stingy here - this is what's going to help keep the potatoes from sticking
4. Place the boiled potatoes on the cookie sheet leaving room between each potato
   
   

   

   
   

5. Using a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it mashes slightly. Rotate the masher 90 degrees and repeat.
6. Brush the tops of each crushed potato generously with more olive oil (or butter if you want to be really decadent!)
   
   

   

   
   

7. Sprinkle the potatoes with the salt, pepper and herbs of your choice
   
   

   

   
   

8. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown

That's it! Very easy to make and the combination of the crispy exterior and the creamy interior gives it an incredible taste/texture combination! In addition, these are vegetarian and, if you omit the parmesan cheese, they are also vegan!