Patate in Padella

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy 12-inch skillet (cast iron preferred)
• •Wide spatula or fish turner
• •Clean kitchen towel for drying potatoes

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the potatoes

   Peel the potatoes and cut them into slices about a quarter inch thick, or into cubes no larger than three-quarters of an inch. Uniformity matters. Pieces of different sizes cook at different rates, leaving you with some burned and some raw. Rinse the cut potatoes briefly under cold water and dry them completely with a clean kitchen towel. Wet potatoes do not brown. They steam and stick.

   Waxy potatoes hold their shape during cooking. Starchy potatoes like russets fall apart and become gummy. Choose Yukon Gold, red potatoes, or fingerlings.
2. 2

   Heat the oil properly

   Pour the olive oil into a heavy skillet, preferably cast iron or stainless steel with a thick bottom. Add the crushed garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs. Set the pan over medium heat. Let the aromatics warm gently in the oil until the garlic becomes fragrant and just barely golden at the edges, about two minutes. Do not let the garlic brown. Remove and discard the garlic and rosemary. Their work is done.

3. 3

   Add potatoes in a single layer

   Add the dried potato slices to the infused oil, spreading them in a single layer. If they do not fit without overlapping, work in batches. This is not a suggestion. Crowded potatoes release moisture they cannot escape. They will not crisp. They will steam and turn soft. Season lightly with salt.

   A 12-inch skillet handles two pounds of potatoes in two batches. Attempting to cook everything at once guarantees failure.
4. 4

   Cook without touching

   Let the potatoes cook undisturbed over medium heat for six to eight minutes. Do not stir them. Do not shake the pan. Do not check on them every thirty seconds. The crust forms through sustained contact with the hot pan. When you lift a corner with a spatula and find deep golden color, only then do you turn them.

5. 5

   Turn and finish

   Flip the potatoes carefully, one section at a time if necessary, to expose the uncooked sides to the pan. Cook another six to eight minutes until this side is equally golden. The potatoes should be tender when pierced with a knife and deeply colored on their flat surfaces. Some pieces will be more caramelized than others. This is correct.

6. 6

   Season and serve

   Transfer the potatoes to a warm serving dish. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Taste one. Adjust the salt if needed. Serve immediately. Crisp potatoes wait for no one. Every minute on the counter costs you some of the crust you worked to build.

Chef Tips

• •Cast iron retains heat better than any other material. If you have a well-seasoned cast iron skillet, use it. The potatoes will release cleanly once they form their crust.
• •The garlic infuses the oil without remaining in the dish. This is the proper use of garlic in Italian cooking: a whisper, not a shout. Those who leave chunks of garlic in their potatoes are making a different dish.
• •If you must cook in batches, keep finished potatoes warm in a low oven. Spread them on a sheet pan in a single layer. Do not pile them. Stacked potatoes steam each other and lose their crispness.
• •A fresh sprig of rosemary added at the end, fried briefly until fragrant, makes an elegant finish. But this is optional. The potatoes need nothing they do not already have.

Advance Preparation

• •Potatoes can be peeled, sliced, and held in cold water for up to four hours. Dry them thoroughly before cooking. Wet potatoes will splatter and will not brown.
• •There is no advantage to cooking these ahead. Crisp potatoes are a fleeting thing. Make them just before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 200g)