Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Mint Pesto and Whipped Ricotta
Feeds 3-4
So I sometimes do an online grocery shop - the peak of my laziness is showing here. Actually that's not true, I sometimes refuse to grab something because it's at the end of the bed and it would involve a few too many acrobatic moves to get it. But I digress. With this grocery shop I ordered some baby potatoes - but I did not realise they would be preemie baby potatoes. So tiny. BUT THEY WORKED. I loved them. Therefore I encourage you to use baby potatoes if you're feeling like an easy crispy potato recipe.
Obviously you can just double the recipe and use normal sized potatoes instead, but who has the time to wait around for them to cook? Me... Sadly.
Let's stop talking about my free time. Plz.
Enjoy the potatoes!
PRO TIPS
The thinner and more bumps/ridges the potatoes have, the crispier they're going to get.
You can easily forego the pesto in place of more fresh mint leaves if you want!
Do us all a favour and toss some peas in there like your nan use to do. You will not regret it.
Vegans: This one is pretty straightforward - skip the ricotta.
Recipe
Ingredients
For Potatoes
750 grams of baby potatoes
3 tablespoons of olive oil/butter/duck fat (whatever you want to put on your potatoes)
1 tablespoon of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
4 garlic cloves
250 grams of ricotta
1/2 cup of mint leaves
For Mint Pesto
10 almonds
2 cups of mint leaves
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Rind of 1 lemon, zested
Method
For Mint Pesto
Blanche your mint leaves for 10 seconds in boiling water then transfer them to a bowl of ice water.
Squeeze out the water from the mint leaves and transfer them to a blender. Blend them with your oil, lemon zest, and almonds until smooth.
For Potatoes
Preheat your oven to 180℃ (356℉).
Boil your potatoes in salted water until they are soft. Drain them and leave them to dry out for 5 minutes in the colander. Transfer them to a lined baking tray and let them dry for a few more minutes. With a fork, carefully smash them down without breaking them apart. Place the garlic cloves haphazardly around the tray, in between the potatoes.
Drizzle over the olive oil making sure the potatoes are mostly covered. Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the top. Place in the oven for 40 - 50 minutes, until crispy.
For the ricotta: simply transfer your ricotta to a mixing bowl and whisk it (preferable using an electric whisk) for 30 seconds - 1 minutes. Until the ricotta is light and fluffy.
Serve your potatoes with the fresh mint leaves, the mint pesto, and the whipped ricotta. ENJOYY!
Stay Salty,
Romy xx