Crash Hot Potatoes

13 steps · 45 min total

1. 01

   Preheat Oven

   Preheat your oven to 450 °F.
2. 02

   Prep Potatoes and Pan

   Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Give the new potatoes a good scrub under running water until they're clean.
3. 03

   Boil Potatoes

   Transfer the cleaned potatoes to a pot and cover them with water.
4. 04

   Season Water

   Add about 2 tablespoons of salt to the water.
5. 05

   Cook Until Tender

   Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring the water to a rolling boil. Continue boiling until the potatoes are completely tender; a fork should slide into them with no resistance.
6. 06

   Drain Potatoes

   Carefully drain the cooked potatoes.
7. 07

   Cool Potatoes

   Let the potatoes cool for a few minutes so they're easier to handle.
8. 08

   Oil Baking Sheet

   Drizzle the prepared cookie sheet with olive oil.
9. 09

   Arrange Potatoes

   Arrange the slightly cooled, cooked potatoes on the oiled cookie sheet.
10. 10

    Smash Potatoes

    Using a small paring knife, make a shallow "X" cut on the top of each potato. This helps them smash more easily without completely falling apart.

    Gently press down on each potato with a potato masher or the bottom of a sturdy glass until it's flattened but still mostly intact. The goal is a squashed potato with plenty of surface area for crisping, not a pile of potato bits (though if they do break apart, just gather the pieces back into a mound).

11. 11

    Season and Oil

    Once smashed, generously sprinkle each potato with kosher salt and ground pepper. Drizzle them with a bit more olive oil.

    If you like, scatter some freshly chopped rosemary or chives over them now.

12. 12

    Add Paprika

    For an extra layer of flavor, sprinkle a little smoked paprika over the potatoes.
13. 13

    Bake Until Crisp

    Bake the potatoes in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or even longer, until they are deeply golden and very crisp around the edges. Keep an eye on them to prevent burning.