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authentic Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Garlic Herb Aioli, the Provençal Way

Crispy Smashed Potatoes With Garlic Herb Aioli

Golf-ball-sized waxy potatoes are boiled until tender, steam-dried, then flattened thin and roasted in a generous slick of olive oil until the edges shatter like glass. Alongside sits a cool, lemony aioli pounded with garlic, egg yolk, and a handful of soft herbs from Provence. Cold, garlicky dip meets blistering, salty potato. It is the snack you cannot stop eating.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 4 People
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: French
Calories: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lb small waxy potatoes Yukon Gold, baby red, or new potatoes, golf-ball sized
  • 3 tbsp kosher salt for the boiling water
  • 0.5 cup extra-virgin olive oil divided, plus more for the pan
  • 1 tsp flaky sea salt for finishing
  • 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 cloves garlic peeled, for the aioli
  • 0.25 tsp fine sea salt for the aioli
  • 1 large egg yolk room temperature
  • 0.75 cup extra-virgin olive oil mild, fruity, for the aioli
  • 2 tsp fresh lemon juice plus more to taste
  • 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh chives finely snipped
  • 1 tsp fresh tarragon finely chopped

Equipment

  • 1 Large pot for boiling potatoes
  • 1 Colander
  • 1 rimmed sheet pan heavy aluminum or steel
  • 1 flat-bottomed glass or measuring cup for smashing
  • 1 mortar and pestle or a sturdy bowl and whisk
  • 1 microplane or fine grater optional, for zest

Method
 

  1. Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by 2 inches. Add 3 tablespoons kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until a fork slides easily into the center of a potato with no resistance.
  2. Drain the potatoes well in a colander, then leave them sitting in the colander for a full 5 minutes to steam-dry. Surface moisture is the enemy of crispness, so do not rush this.
  3. While the potatoes drain, position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 425 F. Pour 3 tablespoons of olive oil onto a rimmed sheet pan and tilt to coat evenly.
  4. Arrange the drained potatoes on the oiled sheet pan with 2 inches of space between them. Using the flat bottom of a glass or measuring cup, press straight down on each potato until it is about one-quarter inch thick. The edges should split and tear, which is exactly what you want.
  5. Brush or drizzle the tops of the smashed potatoes with the remaining 5 tablespoons of olive oil, making sure to coat the ragged edges. Sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt and the black pepper.
  6. Roast for 35 to 45 minutes, without flipping, until the bottoms are deeply golden and the edges are dark and crackly. If your oven runs cool, give them an extra 5 minutes rather than turning up the heat.
  7. While the potatoes roast, make the aioli. In a mortar, pound the 4 garlic cloves with the one-quarter teaspoon fine sea salt until you have a smooth, sticky paste with no visible chunks.
  8. Add the egg yolk to the mortar and work it into the garlic paste with the pestle until fully combined and slightly paler in color, about 30 seconds.
  9. Begin adding the three-quarter cup of olive oil one drop at a time, pounding constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken and look creamy. Once it has emulsified, switch to a slow, thin stream of oil, stirring continuously, until all the oil is incorporated and the aioli is thick enough to hold a peak.
  10. Stir in the lemon juice, then fold in the parsley, chives, and tarragon. Taste and adjust with more salt or lemon juice as needed. Transfer to a small serving bowl.
  11. When the potatoes come out of the oven, slide a thin spatula under each one to release it, then pile them onto a warm platter. Serve immediately, with the garlic herb aioli alongside for dipping or dolloping.

Notes

  • Steam-drying the boiled potatoes for 5 minutes before smashing is what guarantees crisp edges, so do not skip it.
  • Stick to waxy potatoes such as Yukon Gold, baby red, or new potatoes. Russets will fall apart when pressed.
  • The aioli emulsion is fragile. Add the oil drop by drop at first, then in a slow thin stream once it thickens.
  • Serve the potatoes the moment they leave the oven, with lemon wedges, a green salad, or grilled fish or lamb alongside.
  • Leftover aioli keeps 2 days refrigerated. Potatoes do not reheat well, so eat them all at once.