Preheat the oven to 450 Degrees F. Make sure one oven rack is in the bottom position, this is where you will bake the potatoes.
Place potatoes on a sheet pan with a rim. Pour ¾ cup water over the potatoes. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until tender and can be easily pierced.
Transfer Potatoes to a Kitchen towel or Colander and let them drain well. Move them to a Dry Towel lined work surface and let cool slightly (you still want them to be warm). With a paring knife, score a small “X” on the top of each potato. Using a Potato Masher, the smooth side of a meat mallet, the palm of your hand, the bottom of a cup, pan, or measuring cup, gently smash each potato to about ½- ¾ ’’ thickness. You don’t want to pulverize them. You want them to stay whole, just flattened.
Transfer the smashed potatoes to a sheet pan to allow them to cool completely at room temperature, covered with a piece of parchment paper.
TO FRY:
Preheat an oven to 180-200 Degrees F and set a wire rack on top of a baking sheet (you will use this to keep the Potato Bites warm as you work in batches.
Heat Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a cast iron skillet (or stainless steel skillet) over medium heat. Fry the Garlic clove to infuse the oil with flavor, about 2-3 minutes. You don’t want to burn the garlic! Transfer garlic infused oil to a bowl or liquid measuring cup (remove the garlic clove with a slotted spoon).
Add ½ the infused oil back to the pan. In batches, as to not over-crowd the pan, shallow fry the smashed ‘taters, for 3 minutes. Flip and continue cooking for another 3 minutes, until golden and crispy on both sides.
Transfer the golden brown delicious potatoes from the pan onto the wire rack and generously season, while hot, with Sea Salt, Pepper and dried herbs (if using). Place sheet pan in oven to keep warm.
Fry the remaining potatoes in the same fashion, adding more oil as necessary.
TO BAKE:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Keep potatoes on the sheet pan, generously season with salt and drizzle with infused olive oil, lifting them to ensure the oil gets underneath the potatoes as well.
Roast at 450 degrees F. for 30 – 40 minutes, turning once.
Serve immediately topped with below sauces and suggested garnishes.
TB – ¼ Cup Sriracha (depending how spicy you like it, I used 1 ¾ TB)
Salt – to taste
*Mix all ingredients together in a bowl of a food processor, or a small bowl. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (8 hours is best), to allow flavors to marry.
*Garnish Potato Bites with Sauce, Black and White Sesame Seeds, and Chives
-or-
*Dip or Dollop and Eat Plain
Gorgonzola Sriracha Dip
Yield: ¾ Cup
-2 tsp Sriracha (depending how spicy you like it)
¼ cup mayo
TBS gorgonzola cheese - crumbled
TBS Reggiano Parmigiano cheese
clove of Garlic - minced
½ tsp white wine vinegar
tsp Chives – thinly sliced
¼ cup sour cream
Salt & pepper to taste
*Mix all ingredients together in a small mixing bowl and use an immersion blender to pulse ingredients together to desired consistency, or use a food processor.
*Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (8 hours is best), to allow flavors to marry.
*Garnish Potato Bites with Walnuts, Crumbled Gorgonzola, and Thyme
-or-
*Dip or Dollop and Eat Plain.
Notes
Other Serving Options: *Top anyway you would a Baked Potato: loaded, with thinly sliced steak and steak sauce… use your imagination! *Topped with Fresh Herbs and plenty of sea salt: Parsley, Rosemary, Dill, Basil, etc… *Dip anyway you would French Fries: plain ketchup, fry sauce, honey mustard, ranch… again imagination! *To partially make ahead: cook and flatten the potatoes. Once they have cooled at room temperature, transfer the covered potatoes to the refrigerator. This can be done up to 8 hours in advance.