Potatoes are dead

Name: Potatoes are dead - Norica B.
Ingredients: 1 kg potatoes 2 handfuls of coarse salt olive oil 4 cloves of garlic

Appetizers - Potatoes are dead by Norica B. - Recipia

A few times a year, I make these "a murro" potatoes, especially when I don't feel like complicated side dishes. Basically, you only need good potatoes, salt, and a bit of patience in the oven. The rest comes naturally, and there's nothing sophisticated – just simple steps, without any tricks. What I love most is the texture: crispy skin, soft inside, plus the smell of garlic quickly infused in olive oil. Quick Info Total time: about 1 hour and 15 minutes Effective preparation time: under 10 minutes Baking time: varies depending on the potatoes, usually 1 hour Servings: 3-4 (from 1 kg of potatoes) Difficulty: very easy Recipe type: side dish Ingredients 1 kg potatoes (choose medium-sized potatoes, as equal in size as possible) 2 handfuls of coarse salt olive oil (a few tablespoons) 4 garlic cloves (whole, with skin) Preparation method 1. Wash the potatoes well with their skins. Don’t peel them, just make sure they are clean. Dry them thoroughly with a towel, don’t leave them wet. 2. Prepare a heat-resistant or ceramic dish. Sprinkle a layer of coarse salt on the bottom. Place the potatoes in a single layer, do not overcrowd them. Add the remaining salt on top. 3. Place the dish in the preheated oven (the temperature is not specified exactly in the source, but for most ovens it should be between 200-220°C). Bake for about 1 hour. Occasionally, rotate or gently shake the dish to ensure they cook evenly. 4. Check if they are done: a fork should easily pierce them, the skin should be slightly wrinkled. Remove the dish from the oven. Use gloves – it’s hot. Carefully take the potatoes out of the salt and clean any excess from the skin. 5. Now, each potato is gently hit/shaken with a fist. They shouldn’t turn into mashed potatoes, just crack slightly. You can feel when the skin comes apart. Be careful not to crush them. 6. Heat a large pan over medium heat, add olive oil (about 3-4 tablespoons, enough to coat all the potatoes). Lightly crush the garlic cloves (don’t peel them, just hit them with the knife blade). Add the garlic to the hot oil and let it infuse for 1 minute, without burning. 7. Add the crushed potatoes to the pan over medium heat. Toss or turn them a few times, just enough to absorb the oil and garlic aroma, without letting them fry too hard. They are ready in 2-3 minutes. Why I make this recipe often It doesn’t require special attention or supervision in the kitchen. You only need a few basic ingredients, and the result pairs well with almost any main dish. The potatoes hold up well when reheated, if there are leftovers, and their flavor is easily adaptable. They are a side dish that doesn’t bother anyone at the table. Tips and variations Tips If you use potatoes as equal in size as possible, they will cook evenly and you won’t risk having some undercooked or others too crushed. Coarse salt is important for baking – it helps form a crust and doesn’t excessively penetrate the potato. Don’t skimp on the olive oil, but don’t overdo it either – just enough to cover the potatoes well. Don’t wash the potatoes after crushing, just clean the surface salt. Substitutions If you don’t have coarse salt, you can try using large pickling salt, but it’s not as effective for texture. Olive oil can be replaced with another frying oil, but the flavor will be more neutral. If you don’t have fresh garlic, it’s not worth replacing it with granulated garlic for this recipe; it’s better to skip it. Variations You can add herbs (fresh rosemary or thyme) to the pan along with the garlic if you want a different note. If you like crunchier potatoes, after crushing them, you can leave them a bit longer in the pan over medium heat until they form a crust. Sometimes, if I have new potatoes, I make them without frying – just baked and crushed, with a little oil on top. Serving ideas They go very well with grilled meat or fish, or simply alongside a hearty salad. They can be served plain, with a drizzle of extra oil and freshly ground pepper. They are also fine cold, alongside vegetables or boiled eggs. Frequently asked questions 1. Can I use old potatoes or only new ones? You can use any potatoes, but new or waxy ones crush more easily and hold their shape better. Starchy potatoes may crack too much. 2. Do I need to clean the salt after baking? Yes, it’s good to remove the coarse salt from the skin; otherwise, it can taste too salty. 3. Why should I use garlic with skin? Garlic with skin doesn’t burn and imparts flavor to the oil without becoming bitter or too strong. 4. Can I prepare them in advance and reheat them when needed? The potatoes hold up well for a day, but the best texture is when they are freshly made. If you reheat them, do it in a pan, not in the microwave. 5. What other spices can I try? Rosemary or thyme work well, but don’t add strong spices that would overpower the baked potato flavor. Nutritional values Estimated per serving (from 1 kg of potatoes, 4 servings): approximately 200 kcal, 40 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 4-5 g fat (depending on how much oil you actually use), 3-4 g fiber. It contains no gluten. The added salt does not fully enter the composition; most remains on the dish. Storage and reheating The potatoes can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, in a closed container. You can reheat them directly in a pan, with a little oil, over low heat. I do not recommend reheating in the microwave, as they become soft and lose texture. They do not keep well for more than a day; they lose flavor and the skin softens. They are best consumed immediately after preparation.

Preparation

We choose medium potatoes and wash them well, then dry them thoroughly with a towel (they should be dry). We place them in a ceramic or heat-resistant dish and add 2 handfuls of coarse salt. We put the potatoes in the preheated oven, occasionally moving the tray to ensure even cooking. Once they are well baked, we take the dish out of the oven, using oven mitts, remove the potatoes from the salt, wipe off the excess, and gently crush them with our fist (be careful not to crumble them, just to create a crack). In a pan, we heat a little olive oil and add whole garlic cloves, with their skins, slightly crushed with the blade of a knife. We add the potatoes and toss them a bit to absorb the garlic and oil flavor. They are very good alongside grilled meat or fish and salads.

Potatoes are dead

Preparation

Tags

Categories