Easter potatoes prepared two ways

Are you going to have potatoes on your Easter menu? Here are some potato recipes to try instead of mashed.

The first one comes from Ina Garten who got it from actress Emily Blunt. The potatoes are boiled first and then roasted and they are going viral lately.

English Roasted Potatoes

Kosher salt 3 pounds large Yukon

3 pounds large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and 1½ to 2-inch diced

½ cup vegetable oil Coarse sea salt

Coarse sea salt

Minced parsley

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Bring a large pot of water with 2 tablespoons kosher salt to a boil. Add the potatoes, return to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 8 minutes. Drain the potatoes, place them back in the pot with the lid on, and shake the pot roughly for 5 seconds to rough up the edges. Carefully transfer the potatoes in one layer to a baking rack set over a sheet pan. Set aside to dry for at least 15 minutes. (They can sit at room temperature for several hours or in the fridge for up to 6 hours.)

Pour the oil onto another sheet pan, tilt the pan to distribute the oil, and place the pan in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, until the oil is smoking hot. Transfer the potatoes carefully into the oil (I use a large metal spatula) and toss them lightly to coat each potato with the hot oil. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Roast for 45 minutes to one hour, turning the potatoes occasionally with tongs, until very browned and crisp on the outside and tender and creamy inside.

Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle generously with 1½ to 2 teaspoons sea salt and parsley and serve hot.

—kwc—

Here is another one from The Mediterranean Dish. Don’t worry if you can’t find za’atar. I have looked for it all over and it’s not available anywhere around here. It has to be mail ordered. Za’atar is a combination of dried oregano, thyme and/or marjoram, with sumac and toasted sesame seeds, so just use some of those instead. And some lemon juice and zest. That’ll be close enough.

Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Garlic and Za’atar

2 pounds baby potatoes (or new potatoes)

Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

2 teaspoons za’atar (more to your liking)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 green onions, chopped

Heat the oven to 400 degrees and adjust a rack in the center.

Bring a large pot of water (about 2 quarts) to a boil. Season generously with kosher salt (about 1 tbsp), add the baking soda and potatoes. Stir. Let the water return to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until tender and you can easily insert a knife in the potatoes, about 10 to 15 minutes after the water had returned to a boil.

Using a colander, drain the potatoes and let them sit in the colander for 5 to 10 minutes to dry.

Arrange the potatoes on a large, lightly oiled sheet pan. Using the back of a fork or a potato masher, lightly smash the potatoes making sure to keep them in one piece. The thinner you smash them, the crispier they will be. Let the potatoes sit to dry for another 5 to 10 minutes.

Season the potatoes with a pinch of kosher salt and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, making sure all the potatoes get some of the oil.

Roast on the middle rack of your heated oven for about 45 to 50 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown, crispy and the rough edges are charred.

While the potatoes are roasting, in a small mixing bowl, combine ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil with the parsley, za’atar, and garlic.

When the potatoes are ready, remove them from the oven and transfer to a serving platter. Drizzle the olive oil and za’atar mixture all over. And finish with the chopped green onions.