Smashed Potatoes

Ree at the Pioneer Woman Cooks is amazing. I fell in love with her blog months and months ago after making a shrimp penne in this delicious tomato cream sauce (note to self: make that soon!). Today, I discovered her Crash Hot Potatoes (posted, amusingly enough, on my wedding anniversary; a sign this is meant to be). I HAD to have these, and what Mama Sarah wants, Mama Sarah gets (in all matters over which she has total control and sound self-justification).



Okay. I realize the blogging is getting a little weird. It's late and I want to go to bed, but I REALLY want to finish up these posts so I can pretend I'm not really a slacker (said to the dishes sitting in the kitchen). Two glasses of wine probably aren't helping matters either. It's not my fault the cork is wonky and I don't have a bottle top!

Back to potatoes...I think we've established that I love potatoes. If I were stranded on an island, a sack of potatoes would be on my list of things to have with me. Something about them satisfy this innate, never-ending craving in my soul. It IS that intense.

Smashed Potatoes:
small new potatoes (or other similar potato), 2 per person seems reasonable
salt and pepper
olive oil
an herb, I used Rosemary

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, then add your potatoes. Boil until they are "fork tender". I don't think I let mine get fork tender. It's difficult to gauge that.
Preheat oven to 450F.
Drizzle olive oil on a baking sheet; you want the entire sheet to have a bit of the oil so the potatoey goodness doesn't stick.
Place the potatoes on the sheet, spacing them out. Using a potato masher, gently press down on the potato (it might slide around.. you might not be so gentle, it's okay). My potato masher is funky and not the standard shape, so I ended up with lots of little mashed potato crumbles, which baked up nice and crunchy so I'm okay with it. Anywho, rotate your masher 90 degrees and press down again.
Your potatoes shouldn't be too smashed up, just flattened a good bit. It should still be a whole potato, just mangled.
Next, brush (or drizzle) with olive oil, then sprinkle your salt, pepper, and finely chopped herb on the potatoes.
Bake at 450 for about 20 minutes or until they appear deliciously crisp and amazing.