Crispy Smashed Potatoes

I may be slightly obsessed with potatoes. But they are really the most versatile, perfect side. My latest obsession has been with these crispy smashed potatoes. They are a cross between a crispy home fry and a buttery roasted potato, which results in the perfect accompaniment to any roast chicken or beef.

Small new potatoes or fingerling potatoes are mandatory for this dish. If all you have are baking potatoes, make a different potato dish. Make sure to cook the potatoes until just tender. If you under cook the potatoes they won’t properly smash. Over-cook them and they will just fall apart. You will know they are done when you can easily pierce them with a fork.

A few notes on shallow-frying. Make sure to leave enough room between the potatoes when frying in order to make sure you get dark, crispy edges. If the pan is crowded the potatoes will just steam. If your frying pan is not large enough, fry the potatoes in batches. Make sure that the fat or oil is hot enough before adding the potatoes. You will know that it is hot enough if a droplet of water spatters/pops when added to the oil.

Lastly, this dish calls for chicken fat. Whenever I make broth, I let the it cool in the fridge and scrape the hardened fat off of the top and save it in a mason jar. It is great for crispy fried eggs, the base of a roux in chicken pot pie, and these potatoes (among many other things). Don’t have chicken fat? Feel free to substitute oil.

Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Fried Onions

Alison Roman, Dining In

1 1/4 pounds new potatoes (1 to 2 inches) or small fingerling potatoes
1/3 cup chicken fat, olive oil, or peanut oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp butter
½ yellow onion, thinly sliced into rings
1 tsp Aleppo pepper or ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Boil the potatoes in a large pot of salted water until tender, approximately 10-15 minutes. Remove the potatoes and let them cool slightly.

Using the palm of your hand, smash the potatoes until they’re just crushed to expose the inside, but not so much that they fall apart. You’re going for maximum crispy surface area.

Heat the chicken fat in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes in a single layer (work in batches, if you need to) and season with kosher salt and black pepper. Cook until both sides are super browned and crispy, about 5 minutes per side.

Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon or spatula and transfer them to a serving bowl or platter. Add the butter to the skillet and let it melt and foam. Add the onion rings in a single layer and season with kosher salt and black pepper. Cook, swirling the skillet occasionally, until the onions have turned golden brown and started to crisp, 4 to 6 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat and add the red pepper flakes, swirling the skillet a few times to combine. Pour the onions and any butter in the skillet over the potatoes and top with the parsley.