Smashed Oven Roasted Potatoes With Olive Oil And Cheese

My friend Diane called me the other day to ask my advice on what to make as a side dish for steak. She was having 10 for dinner, and she was going to be gone all day so she needed something that could at least partly be made ahead of time. I immediately thought of this recipe for “Smashed Oven Roasted Potatoes with Olive Oil and Cheese”.

Let me start off by saying that I love potatoes. I’ll happily eat them in almost any incarnation — smashed, roasted, baked or in a tart. I prefer them without cream, but have been known to down a scalloped potato or two in my time. They’re close to a perfect food. Inexpensive. Filling. Easy to cook and a real crowd pleaser. I particularly love this recipe because it’s both healthy and good for a large crowd. You can make it ahead of time, roasting and smashing the potatoes in a big roasting dish in the morning or even the day before, and then finishing with the cheese in the oven at the last minute. In terms of serving size, I typically figure on 3 potatoes per person, but this is one dish where I’m never sad to have leftovers as they’re divine the next morning, reheated in a pan with a couple of fried eggs on top…. Ugh, now my mouth is watering.

Smashed Oven Roasted Potatoes with Olive Oil and Cheese
(6 servings)

• 2 lbs red or gold new potatoes, cleaned & scrubbed
• 1 t salt
• 1/8 t pepper
• 8 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 – 3/4 c grated parmesan or pecorino cheese

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a large roasting pan, combine the potatoes with the salt, pepper and 2T of olive oil. Roast for 40 minutes or until tender. Remove from the oven and smash with a fork while hot. You want to leave them chunky. Stirr in the remaining 6T of olive oil. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Cover with the grated cheese and put back in the oven until the cheese is melted and lightly browned in spots.

If you are making these ahead of time, do not add the cheese. Instead, let the potatoes cool to room temperature and cover with a dishcloth if serving later in the day or with tin foil, once completely cooled, if refrigerating to serve the next day. Bring them back to room temperature, add the cheese and reheat/finish in the oven.

These are also delicious without the cheese if you are wanting to cut a few calories or are dairy free. Just finish with a little of Mom’s Special Salt and serve. Delish!