This recipe is super easy! It is my cheat version of this Portuguese classic. Usually, the potatoes are parboiled and then oven roasted in copious amounts of extra virgin olive oil. Well, being it is a scorching 95°F, I decided to make these in a grill pan. Feel free to use my confit garlic oil in place of the raw garlic and oil used below. Feel free to add any aromatic herbs you like. Thyme and rosemary are delicious here. These potatoes go with everything...so good you can eat them on their own.
Enjoy XOXO
Portuguese"Punched" Potatoes ❦ Batatas a Murro ❦
Serves 4
40 minutes
800 g. Baby potatoes, such as Jersey Royals (about 16)
6 Cloves of garlic
2 Sprig of Rosemary
1 Bay leaf
1 tbsp. Coarse sea salt, plus more to serve
Extra virgin olive oil as needed, at least 80 ml.
Bring a pot of cold water to the boil with all the ingredients except extra virgin olive oil.
In a separate pot heat the olive oil and garlic cloves, on a very low simmer for 30-35 minutes.
Boil potatoes for about 30-35 minutes, until a knife inserted into one goes straight in easily.
Drain potatoes. Discard bay leaf.
When cool enough to handle, place potatoes on the cutting board, and with the heel of your hand, hit the potato to smash it gently. You can also press down gently until they start to crack and flatten. You do not want it to break apart.
Heat a skillet or frying pan with some olive oil. Just enough to coat the bottom. Arrange potatoes in a single layer. Let bottoms brown until nice and golden, turning once, and repeat.
Drizzle the garlic-infused extra virgin olive oil all over potatoes along with some more coarse sea salt. You can use the reserved garlic and rosemary for garnish.