Sami’s Smashed Potatoes

By charlotteh371

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds baby potatoes
• 1/2 cup olive oil plus more to brush baking sheet
• 10 garlic cloves pressed or finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ancho (mild) or chipotle (spicy)chile powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/2 cup grated parmeggiano reggiano or queso añejo

Preparation

Step 1

In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Drop in the potatoes and cook until completely cooked and soft, about 20 minutes. The tip of a sharp knife should be able to completely and easily go through one.
Place an oven rack a third down from top of oven. preheat oven to 400.

Brush olive oil on a large rimmed baking sheet. Place the potatoes, one by one, on the baking sheet. With the back of a soup spoon, smash each potato lightly but firmly until it flattens, albeit unevenly, halfway; as if just lightly smashed, but not completely broken apart. Continue with all the potatoes. Don’t let them cool too much, or it won’t be as easy to smash and lightly flatten them.

In a small bowl, mix 1/2 cup olive oil with the pressed or finely chopped garlic, chile powder, rosemary and salt. Spoon half of the garlic mixture on top of each lightly smashed potato. Cover with grated parmesan cheese.
Place the potatoes in the oven and bake until golden and crisp on top and slightly crisp on bottom for 25 to 30 minutes. Serve hot with remaining garlic mixture.