CRUSHED HOT POTATOES..

I’m always looking for new ways of serving the humble potato, so when I was faced with a bag of baby potatoes recently this little gem from many moons ago popped, as if by magic, into what remains of my brain – It’s a very simple recipe which involves boiling your baby spuds until fairly tender, then literally ‘crushing’ them, adding some flavourings and roasting them until crispy. The results are amazing, so make plenty, as everyone will want seconds!

Here’s how you do it…

EQUIPMENT:

• Saucepan to boil the potatoes
• baking tray
• Potato masher or even a large fork

INGREDIENTS:

• Baby or smallish potatoes ( I’m leaving the quantities up to you)
• Fresh Rosemary or Thyme (or dried if you haven’t any fresh – nothing’s written in stone here)
• Fennel seeds – a couple of dessertspoons..
• Rapeseed or vegetable oil ( see NOTES)

METHOD:

• Scrub the spuds, the boil them for about 10-15 minutes until tender.

• Heat the oven to 200 Fan, and put the baking tray in to heat
• When tender, drain the potatoes, and allow them to air-dry for a couple of minutes
• Remove the baking tray and drizzle some oil on it – spread it out with either a pastry brush, or  a piece of rolled-up kitchen paper.
• Throw on the potatoes and spread them out.

• Using the potato masher or fork, mash them down gently, just enough to squash them slightly. You don’t want mashed potatoes here – you’re going for ‘slightly crushed’
• Drizzle over a little more oil, sprinkle over the fennel seeds, thyme or whatever else you fancy; add a little salt, then stick them back in the oven on the top shelf.

• Give them 10-15 minutes at 200, then have a look and stir them around a bit.  I tend to remove the rosemary sprigs at this stage, as they can get bitter if they’re over-cooked. Put the potatoes back in and give them another 5-10 minutes.
• When they’re nicely crispy at the edges and have taken on some colour, remove them from the oven and transfer them to a warmed serving dish. If you want them crispier, just pop the tray back in for 5 minute intervals until you’re happy.

• Serve them hot – they don’t appreciate hanging about..

NOTES:

• We hadn’t had these for ages, and they were so delicious that between himself and meself, we polished off the lot!
• The Fennel seeds make a huge impact on the finished dish, so I’d recommend them as a flavouring.
• This evening we served these delicious potatoes with some grilled chicken breasts which had been rubbed with a selection of spices, and some fresh toasted sweetcorn from St George’s Market.
• These are like a better version of roast potatoes, and I’m seriously considering exchanging these for my regular roasties.
• I think if you’re watching the calories that you could probably use a low-calorie cooking spray – it might not be quite as good, but they’ll still be great.