Adapted for a smaller sized potato, from chef Alejandro Morales’ recipe in Bon Appetit, if you have nothing but large sized potatoes, just cut them in half. These delicious pancakes are a great combination of flavors and textures. The skin of the potato has a nice, roasted and crunchy texture, and the potato itself is sweet and so tasty that you will want to lick the plate clean. These potatoes are very simple to cook.  They are very good by themselves, but they have an even more wonderful taste when accompanied by parsley oil. You may want to use a knife when you eat this delicious meal to help cut through the crispy skin.

This recipe was tested and photographed by Emma P, Katelyn E, Ariana C and Ashley J—7th graders at The Girls’ Middle School.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds small to medium red-skinned or Yukon gold potatoes, about 3 ounces each
• 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Wrap each potato in aluminum foil.  Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until tender, about 35 to 40 minutes.
2. Raise oven temperature to 450 degrees.
3. Unwrap potatoes (save the foil for another batch, later) and arrange on the same baking sheet.  Place a second rimmed baking sheet (of equal size) on top of the first, rimmed side up, covering the potatoes.  Press gently on the baking sheet “smashing” the potatoes with even pressure to a height of about 1/2 to 3/4 inch.  Be careful not to press so hard that the potatoes completely fall apart into pieces.
4. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with half the oil.  Move potatoes around in the oily patches on the pan so that the undersides become coated with oil too.
5. Roast potatoes for 15 minutes.  Drizzle with remaining oil then carefully turn each flattened potato over and continue roasting for another 15 minutes, until crisp and gold brown on the outside.