Side · starch
Lemony Smashed Potatoes
Boiled, smashed, crisped. The craggy edges are the point.
Active12 min
Total40 min
Dishes2
Per serving$0.60
Ingredients · 4 servings
| 1.5 lb | baby potatoes |
| 0.5 whole | lemon |
| olive oil · pantry | |
| kosher salt · pantry |
Method
The chef moveSmash them flat and roast blistering hot so every surface goes lacy and crisp, then hit with lemon while hot.
- Boil potatoes until tender. (Do this Sunday and refrigerate.)
- Smash flat on an oiled sheet, roast at 230C / 450F until crisp, ~15 min. Finish with lemon and salt.
The Why · No Anecdotes
The science, not a story about my childhood.
Why boil first, then roast — why not just roast them raw?
Boiling gelatinizes the interior starch into a creamy center that dry roasting alone never reaches. Smashing then explodes the surface area, and every one of those craggy flattened edges crisps in the hot oven. Surface area is the whole game with crispiness.