Smashed Potatoes

I love small potatoes; they are so creamy and sweet when baked, not to mention very cute. They also get very golden when the flesh is exposed to heat and oil. The creamy texture is something you just can't get in a larger baking potato. We were having a big fancy steak dinner and potatoes were the side dish. I knew that I wanted the best of both worlds, creamy potato flesh and the crispy skin that you can only get from an oven baked spud and so these were created.

After baking the small tubers I smashed them, exposing the inner flesh and making the sides flat, perfect for crisping up in the oven. A small amount of oil helped the crisping process. Toppings were kept traditional, why mess with a good thing? Crispy fresh cooked bacon bits, grated extra sharp cheddar, tangy sour cream and onion-y chives made for the perfect side dish.

These potatoes were a hit! Not only were they delicious, they're really cute on the plate. The kids and adults alike were really excited to eat them and there were no left overs. I have big plans for these babies, left over chili would be awesome on them, or, they'd make a great side dish for a brunch. Smashed potatoes were a smashing success!

Smashed Potatoes
makes 8 servings

4 slices bacon
8 red bliss potatoes, about 2 inches diameter
2T sour cream
1 oz shredded cheddar cheese
fresh snipped chives
1T canola oil
kosher salt

Heat oven to 350. Put the washed potatoes into the oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until soft.

Remove potatoes from oven and put onto a cutting board. Hit each potato with a meat mallet or a heavy pan to smash it flat, bursting the sides open but the potato is still intact in one piece.



Pour the oil onto a sheet pan, rub the potatoes on both sides with oil, sprinkle with kosher salt and bake again for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bottoms are browned and crispy.



While potatoes are baking cook the bacon. I slice the bacon into bits before cooking, it gives more even pieces and cooks up faster. Drain cooked bacon bits.



Top each smashed potato with grated cheddar cheese, a small dollop of sour cream - a baggie with the end cut off works fantastic here, some bacon bits and chives.



Nutrition Facts provided by SparkPeople recipe calculator
Amount Per Serving (1 topped potato each)
Calories 181.7
Total Fat 5.8 g
Saturated Fat 1.9 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.6 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.5 g
Cholesterol 10.0 mg
Sodium 387.8 mg
Potassium 7.9 mg
Total Carbohydrate 27.2 g
Dietary Fiber 2.5 g
Sugars 2.0 g
Protein 5.4 g