Smashed Potatoes from the Tray

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 6 potatoes
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves or to taste
• Herbs, fresh or dried e.g. oregano, thyme, rosemary
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 50 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 5 minutes

crispy and aromatic, the not boring side potato

Boil the potatoes with their skins on in salted water, not quite cooked through; the core should still be slightly firm. Drain the potatoes, rinse with cold water, and let them rest in the pot for about 5 minutes to dry. In the meantime, peel the garlic cloves, press them through a press into a bowl, add olive oil and a little salt, and stir into a liquid paste. Place the potatoes on a lightly oiled or baking sheet lined with baking paper. Peel off a little of the skin from the sides that will now be facing up, leaving the unpeeled sides facing down. Using a potato masher, gently press the potatoes down so that they break open flat but still stay together. This can also be done with a coarse-toothed fork. To help, you can first make a cross-shaped cut in the top of the potatoes with a knife. Now drizzle the garlic and oil mixture evenly over the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and then sprinkle on the dried herbs. This is up to your taste; oregano, thyme, or rosemary work well. Or chili, grated Parmesan, lemon zest, etc. Add fresh herbs only after baking, otherwise they’ll burn. Bake the potatoes in a preheated oven at approximately 180°C – 200°C (convection oven) on the middle rack for 30-35 minutes, or until the tops are nicely browned and crispy. The potatoes are perfect with steak or as a (grilled) side dish.