Just to add to their fondness in my heart, the potatoes can be prepped hours in advance and are as fantastic both hot out of the oven or cooler at room temp. And if anyone dares leave any behind (or you accidentally over cater), they make the perfect leftover in a salad the next day or in a frittata for breakfast.
I love to serve them with soured cream and a good amount of dill to give the retro potato skin feel, but I also love them dressed with some kimchi or salsa verde or simply as they are in all their golden crispy glory.
So, without any further holiday weekend distraction, I suggest you get cooking…….
For the potatoes:
- 1.5kg Cypress or Maris Piper potatoes
- 4 sprigs sage
- 1 head of garlic
- 3 tbsp kosher salt (yes that is correct)
- 1/2 tbsp Malden salt (yes that too)
- lashings of olive oil (approximately 60-80ml deepening on the size of your pan)
To serve:
- 1-2 tbsp dill sprigs – some finely chopped and some in bigger fonds
- 200g sour cream (or a combination of creme fraiche and greek yoghurt)
- salt and pepper
- If you are feeling fancy, feel free to add any or all of the below to the sour cream for a little extra jazz:
- 1 tbsp chopped chives
- 1 spring onion, finely sliced
- 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
- 1 tsp capers. drained
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 clove of garlic, crushed (or confit garlic is great here too)
Wash the potatoes thoroughly (you are keeping their skins on)
Depending on their size, cut them in to halves or quarters – you want them to be quite chunky so that you can smoosh them.
Place the cut potatoes in a large pot (with a lid) and fill it with cold water so the potatoes are completely submerged.
Add a whole head of garlic (no need to separate the cloves – just chuck it in), 2 generous sprigs of sage and 3 tbsp of salt. I know it seem excessive, but trust me.
Bring the water to a vigorous rolling boil, cover with a lid and turn the heat off.
Let the potatoes sit for at least 30 minutes but I often leave them for 2-3 hours allowing for some advance prep.
When you are about a little over an hour away from sitting down, preheat your oven to 220C. If your oven is already on and slightly lower, don’t worry, put them in but they might need a little longer for maximum crispy.
Drain the potatoes, discard the sage and keep the garlic.
Place in a large heavy roasting dish or cast iron pan. You want the potatoes to be in one layer so you may need to split them into 2 smaller roasting pans. Separate the garlic cloves (you can keep the skins on).
Drizzle the potatoes with lashings of olive oil (you will need about 50ml in total), and toss until they are generously coated. Add another generous sprig or two of sage. Gently smash them with a large spoon or with your hands. You might want to add a little more olive oil over the top.
Sprinkle over another large pinch of malden salt (close to a tbsp) and place in the oven for 45- 60 minutes (depending on their size, the oven and the weight of your pan) until they are golden, crispy, delicious.
You might want to gently move them around after 30 minutes so they crisp evenly.
Meanwhile, stir 1tbsp chopped dill into sour cream, leaving some fonds aside for garnish. Feel free to add any of the suggested items in the list above if you are feeling like you want a little extra.
Serve either drizzled with the sour cream or use it as a dip for the crispy treats.
Photos thanks to Gianni Diliberto
Have you made this dish?
Let me know what you think, share your efforts and any tweaks you made to the recipe on Instagram, don’t forget to tag #BuildingFeasts or email me on info@buildingfeasts.com
