Italian Smashed Potatoes

These potatoes are easy and can be made in ways to suit.  The photos are of Italian Smashed Potatoes because of the olive oil and garlic pepper added but you can make these by drizzling melted butter on them, instead of the olive oil, and no garlic pepper. 

Choose small potatoes and boil them in their skins til just tender, about 10 mins for the very small ones.

 

Place them on a lined baking sheet (for easier clean-up later) and with a potato masher, press down on each one about halfway so they split. 

 

Now the fun begins.  For Italian style potatoes, drizzle each split spud with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and some garlic pepper or herbed garlic pepper of your choice. 

 

If you prefer butter, you can melt some of that instead of using olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.

 

Want a bit of flair, drizzle with butter, then sprinkle on season salt that you like for a bit of biting flavor.  A bit of salt and pepper never go amiss.

 

Place baking sheet in a 475-degree preheated oven for 10-11 mins. for very small potatoes, or 15 or 16 mins. for those just a bit larger.  Test them for tenderness and remove from the oven.

 

I served mine with steak and salad, but these go with just about anything except pasta.

Enjoy!