Olive pesto smashed potatoes

By claudiag

Ingredients

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves $
• 1 cup kalamata olives, pitted and patted dry
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese $
• 12 small red or Yukon Gold potatoes (2 to 3 in. diameter), well-scrubbed
• 2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley

Details

Adapted from myrecipes.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Make pesto: Purée garlic and basil in a food processor. Add olives and oil and pulse to a smooth, thick paste. Turn into a bowl and stir in cheese.
2. Put potatoes in a large pot on the stove with generously salted water to cover. Bring almost to a boil and cook until easily pierced with a knife, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain. When cool enough to handle, press each between your hands until about 3/4 in. thick but still in one piece.
3. Spread each potato with 1 heaping tbsp. pesto and press to compact it. Heat a cast-iron skillet, then add potatoes. Pan-roast until crisp underneath, 5 minutes. Turn pesto side down and let roast and crisp up. "Roasting the pesto adds umami to the potatoes and an interesting toastiness." Put on a platter, pesto side up, and sprinkle with parsley.
Make ahead: Potatoes and pesto, up to 2 days, chilled and covered.