Smashed Crispy Potatoes with Sour Cream

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large pot (6-quart minimum)
• •Rimmed baking sheet
• •Flat-bottomed drinking glass or potato masher
• •Pastry brush

Instructions

1. 1

   Select and sort potatoes

   Examine your potatoes and sort for uniform size. Anything larger than a golf ball should be halved. Uniformity matters because a two-inch potato and a one-inch potato cook at different rates. You want everything tender at the same moment. Scrub them well but leave the skins intact. That skin becomes your crispy armor.

2. 2

   Boil until fork-tender

   Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by two inches. Add the quarter cup of kosher salt. Yes, that much. The water should taste like the sea. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook until a paring knife slides through the center without resistance, fifteen to twenty minutes depending on size. The potatoes should feel like they might fall apart but haven't yet.

   Starting in cold water ensures even cooking from edge to center. Hot water shocks the exterior before the interior catches up.
3. 3

   Drain and dry

   Drain the potatoes thoroughly in a colander. Let them sit for five minutes, steam escaping. Surface moisture is the enemy of crispness. Every drop of water on that potato skin will steam in the oven instead of crisping. Shake the colander occasionally to expose all surfaces to air.

4. 4

   Preheat and prepare

   Position a rack in the upper third of your oven and preheat to 450°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the olive oil and melted butter in a small bowl. This combination gives you the high smoke point of olive oil with the flavor of butter.

5. 5

   Smash with intention

   Arrange the warm potatoes on your prepared baking sheet, spaced at least two inches apart. They need room to spread. Using the flat bottom of a drinking glass or a potato masher, press down firmly on each potato until it's about half an inch thick. You want it flattened but not obliterated. Some cracking and breaking around the edges is desirable. Those craggy bits become the crispiest parts.

   If your potatoes stick to the glass, dip the bottom in oil between smashes. Work confidently. Tentative pressing creates thick centers that won't crisp properly.
6. 6

   Season and oil generously

   Brush the tops of each smashed potato liberally with the oil-butter mixture. Be generous. The oil pools in the crevices and fries those edges golden. Sprinkle evenly with garlic powder, black pepper, and half the flaky salt. Don't skip the garlic powder. It toasts in the oven and provides backbone.

7. 7

   Roast until shatteringly crisp

   Roast in the upper third of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Watch for deep golden edges and bronze centers. The thin edges should look nearly burnt but aren't. They're caramelized. When you tap a potato with a spatula, the edges should sound crisp, almost hollow.

   Resist the urge to flip them. The bottom develops a crust against the hot pan while the top crisps from radiant heat. Flipping disrupts both.
8. 8

   Finish and serve

   Transfer the potatoes to a serving platter immediately. Sprinkle with remaining flaky salt while hot so it adheres. Dollop sour cream beside the potatoes or spoon a small amount onto each one. Scatter chives over everything, and bacon if using. Serve while the edges still shatter. These wait for no one.

Chef Tips

• •Yukon Golds are ideal because their waxy-starchy balance gives you creamy interiors that hold together when smashed. Red potatoes work but crisp less dramatically. Russets fall apart. Stick with small yellow varieties.
• •The potatoes must be warm when you smash them. Cold potatoes crumble and break apart rather than flattening obediently. If they've cooled too much, microwave briefly to restore pliability.
• •For the crispiest results, use a dark-colored baking sheet. Dark metal absorbs more heat and creates better bottom crust than light aluminum.
• •Crème fraîche substitutes beautifully for sour cream if you want something richer. Greek yogurt works for a tangier, lighter option.
• •To scale for a crowd: figure three to four small potatoes per person as an appetizer, five to six per person as a side dish. A single sheet pan holds about one and a half pounds comfortably.

Advance Preparation

• •Potatoes can be boiled, drained, and refrigerated up to two days ahead. Let them return to room temperature before smashing and roasting, or add five minutes to roasting time.
• •Smashed potatoes can wait on the baking sheet, oiled and seasoned, at room temperature for up to one hour before roasting. Useful when timing multiple dishes.
• •Leftover roasted potatoes reheat beautifully in a 400°F oven for ten minutes. They won't be quite as crispy as fresh but remain entirely worthy of your attention.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 250g)