Absolutely Fantastic Crispy Smashed Potatoes

These potatoes, with the crispy outside and creamy inside, are pretty much the perfect potato recipe. They are definitely my new number one, and they've been a big hit recently with my fiance and family.

I had a Cooks Illustrated subscription for one year, and what I found is that they've really, really tried everything to make sure that their recipes are virtually foolproof and absolutely perfect. As a result, there are only a few recipes in each bi-monthly issue, but the ones I have tried are all delicious. They are accompanied by drawings (hence the "Illustrated" part) and a detailed break-down of why each step and method is important to the final product. So with that said, I do not Amberize these, and you need to follow the steps just as they say! Don't say I didn't warn you!

Now, on to heavenly Crispy Smashed Potatoes... I had them, slightly burned but still yummy, for the first time about a year ago, then remembered them (and now I wonder, how did I ever forget them?!) recently when Chris and I had our own Christmas dinner here at the house. I made them with a variety of fingerling potatoes, and then again the next week for my grandparents, using baby red potatoes. As the magazine states, you should just stick to potatoes that are NO MORE than 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter. I cut a couple of the bigger fingerlings and reds in half, but don't try using diced potatoes; it ain't gonna be the same.


2 pounds small potatoes (Red Bliss, as they recommend, or baby reds or fingerlings)
6 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves (or you could experiment here!)
kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper


1. Place your oven racks on the top & bottom slots and preheat to 500. Arrange the potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and pour 3/4 cup water into the baking sheet. Wrap it all tightly with aluminum foil. (CI states that this eliminates about 30 minutes of cooking time!) Cook on the bottom rack until you can poke a paring knife through the foil & a potato quite easily, 25-30 minutes. Remove foil and cool for 10 minutes. Blot any remaining water with a paper towel. This is how you'll get the creamy inside.

2. Drizzle 3 tbsp. of the oil over the potatoes and roll them around to coat. Spread the potatoes evenly on the sheet as if you're baking cookies and expect them to spread, because here's the fun part: the smashing!

3. Place a second baking sheet on top of the potatoes and smash them all down into 1/2 to 1/3 inch-thick patties, fritters, or whatever you want to call them. This is how you'll get the cripsy outside!

4. Drizzle evenly with the remaining oil and the seasonings. Roast on the top oven rack (without the foil) for 15 minutes, then the bottom rack for 20-30 minutes, or until they're browned to your liking.

Either you are going to love these, or you're going to be WRONG!