Diet
Omnivorous
Plate of Silver
Solamnia
Serves
4
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds small (2-inch) red-skinned or Yukon gold creamer potatoes, scrubbed
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- About 2 ounces white anchovy fillets or boquerónes (see Cook's Note)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- With a rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 450°F. Spread the potatoes on a baking sheet and roast until they are very tender, about 35 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven (leave the oven on) and set the potatoes aside to cool for about 10 minutes.
- When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, transfer to a large bowl. Brush the same baking sheet with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Return the potatoes to the baking sheet, spaced about 2½ inches apart. With another baking sheet or the bottom of a mug or a potato masher, sharply press down on the potatoes to break their skins and compress the flesh until about ¾ inch thick. Brush the potatoes with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Return the potatoes to the oven and roast until deep golden brown, about 25 minutes longer, turning the baking sheet halfway through. Taste a small piece of a potato and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
- Arrange the potatoes on a serving platter, lay an anchovy fillet over each one, and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve immediately.
Cook's Notes
Meaty marinated white anchovies are popular in Spain, where they're called boquerónes. Instead of being packed in oil or salt, the anchovies are marinated in vinegar, which gives them a piquant flavor and whitens the flesh. They're less salty and intense than their tinned, oil-packed brethren.
Using a second baking sheet will smash all the potatoes at once, whereas if you use the bottom of a mug or a potato masher, you will have to smash them individually.