If crispy, craggy, garlicky potato morsels lashed with lemony tahini and za’atar sounds like something you would love, then I have just the smashed potatoes recipe for you! This who-needs-french-fries-anyway alternative features less than 10 ingredients, and will invigorate your tastebuds with garlic infused, olive oil roasted, skin-on potato flavour, complimented by tangy, lemony tahini, and aromatic, herbal za’atar.
There is a Beiruti restaurant not too far from where I live that serves the most delicious french fries I have had in recent memory; crispy, salty, and savoury, drizzled with zingy, lemony tahini and sprinkled with za’atar (never enough tahini mind you, I always ask for extra). While I do love a good french fry, and their version in particular, I don’t make french fries at home. I’m too scared to deep fry at home, and too scared to be able to deep fry at home, because that cannot lead to any good! Enter, Crispy Smashed Garlic Potatoes with Tahini and Za’atar!
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Ingredients
All you need to make these Crispy Smashed Garlic Potatoes with Tahini and Za’atar is a mere 7 ingredients, some of which you may have at home already!
For this recipe you will need:
- mini potatoes, yellow fleshed preferably
- fresh garlic
- olive oil
- tahini
- lemon juice
- za'atar
- salt
How to make smashed potatoes
The smashed potatoes themselves are a snap, or should I say, a smoosh! Skin-on mini potatoes - yellow fleshed golden mini potatoes are my favourite - are boiled until tender. Leaving the skin on makes the potatoes taste more, well, potatoey, and the skins are an essential part of the crisping up process that occurs in the hot oven; who wants to peel tiny potatoes anyway!
Once cool enough to handle after air drying in a colander, the boiled taters are coated in garlic infused oil, then individually smooshed on top of a prepared baking sheet, until flattened but not totally obliterated. A quick swipe of extra infused olive oil, a sprinkle of flaky sea salt for extra crunch, and into the oven they go, ready to crisp up so nicely; nicely enough to reduce any french fry craving, at least for the moment!
Quick garlic infused oil for extra flavour
To add some garlicky flavour to the potatoes, a quick garlic infused olive oil is readily whipped up while the potatoes boil, by simply heating some smashed garlic cloves in olive oil. This infused olive oil does double duty - it is used to coat the potatoes before roasting, and the nicely softened garlic cloves are used for the lemony tahini sauce used to dress the potatoes before serving.
Tahini and za’atar: the most delicious combination
While the little tots roast away in the oven, you can quickly mix up the tahini; in this case a zingy, lemony version that contrasts deliciously against the earthy potatoes and pairs so beautifully with the warm, herbal, flavours of thyme and sumac laden za’atar.
As all tahini varieties vary from smooth and sweet to bitter, you can adjust the tahini mixture to suit your preference - more lemon for more zing, more water to smooth out bitterness, more or less garlic, and as much salt as suits your palate.
If za’atar isn’t in your pantry already, it probably should be, and this is a great opportunity to add this essential Food Find to your cupboard. Aromatic, herbaceous, tangy, toasty, and salty, readily available za’atar is a cherished herb and spice mixture that has been used for centuries and perhaps even millenia. Find out more about za’atar, how to use it, and where to find it.
Putting it all together
Once the crispy potato morsels are ready, they can be quickly slid onto a serving platter, and drowned, I mean, drizzled with tahini, and then liberally sprinkled with za’atar. If you’re anything like me, you probably need extra tahini nearby, ready to dollop on any micrometer that has not already been covered. There is definitely a risk of most of these little potato babies being eaten before they hit the table, so be forewarned, and eat a few for a cook’s treat before they disappear entirely!
Storage
Crispy Smashed Garlic Potatoes with Tahini and Za’atar are best eaten hot right out of the oven; I mean really, I don't think it would be possible not to! The crispy, crackling texture will diminish as they cool, and they don't store well in the fridge, however, I truly don't think that you and your eating companions will have a problem eating them at one sitting!
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve alongside Crispy Smashed Garlic Potatoes with Tahini and Za’atar:
Crispy Smashed Garlic Potatoes with Tahini and Za’atar
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs mini potatoes yellow fleshed preferably
- 4 garlic cloves smashed
- 5-6 tablespoon olive oil
- salt to taste
- ½ cup water extra may be needed
- ½ cup tahini
- ¼ cup lemon juice (about 1 lemon, extra may be needed)
- za’atar to taste
Instructions
Cook the potatoes:
- In a large pot, cover the potatoes in water, a generous sprinkling of salt, and boil until fork tender but not falling apart. Drain the potatoes and leave to air dry.
(while the potatoes are boiling) Make the quick garlic oil:
- On medium low heat, heat up the oil and the garlic cloves and a pinch of salt until lightly sizzling and fragrant, and then turn down to low, and leave for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly, and making sure not to let the garlic start to brown at all as that could introduce unwanted bitterness. Set aside to cool.
Prepare and roast the potatoes:
- Preheat the oven to 450. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, or use one larger “full” baking sheet, which is the equivalent of two smaller baking sheets.
- Place the cooked and air dried potatoes into a large mixing bowl, and spoon in 4 tablespoons of the garlic oil (reserve the garlic cloves and any extra oil). Coat the potatoes in the oil then scoop out the potatoes and any remaining oil from the bowl onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Spread the potatoes apart as you go and smoosh each potato with the back of a measuring cup or heavy glass until flattened to about ¼ inch but not totally obliterated - don’t accidentally make mashed potatoes! The thinner the potato, the crispier they get. If left a little thicker you will still get a crispy outside with a soft inside, so the exact level of smooshing is up to you; adjust the force used if needed to your preference.
- Brush the tops of each potato with the reserved garlic oil so that each one is well coated. Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the potatoes and put into the oven, roasting for about 35 minutes until crispy browned on top, with slightly puffed skins and lovely brown edges. As mini potatoes come in a variety of sizes, check at about 30 minutes and add 5 minute increments as needed - you may just have to test one or three to make sure!
- If using one tray, place in the middle of the oven. If using two trays, use two racks in the middle and switch the tray positions halfway through the roasting process.
(while the potatoes are roasting) Mix up the tahini:
- I like to use a mini bullet style blender. Add the water first, then add the tahini, lemon juice, and start with two of the garlic cloves that you used to make the garlic oil. Blend, add more garlic if you wish, add salt and additional lemon etc. until you have a thick but pourable, rich and lemony tasting tahini sauce.
- Set the tahini aside and have your za’atar ready for when the potatoes are ready.
Garnish the roasted potatoes:
- Once roasted and crispy, remove the potatoes from the oven. Use a spatula to transfer to a serving dish right away, and then lash the potatoes with as much tahini as you desire, and sprinkle liberally with za’atar. Serve with extra tahini on the side for dipping and dolloping, and enjoy while hot and crispy!
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