Alexis's Gluten Free Adventures: Smashed, as Good as Mashed Potatoes

Tonight, my brother's family joined us for dinner at my parent's house. I helped my mom by baking 2 peach crostate and making smashed potatoes.

Crostate -- no, that was not a typo. I learned something new today. The plural form of crostata is crostate.

I really need to buy one of these potato mashers! Or, I might have just enough room in my suitcase to take this one home. Just kidding, mom!

My mother made baked chickens and green beans to round out our simple, yet delicious dinner.

Smashed, as Good as Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

2 or 3 bulbs of garlic

5 pounds of Yukon Gold Potatoes

1 stick (1/2 C) of butter

2 T of extra virgin olive oil + more oil to roast the garlic

Milk to taste

Kosher salt to taste

Directions

Roast 2 or 3 bulbs of garlic -- cut off the top so the garlic cloves are exposed, pour on a little bit of olive oil, and roast wrapped in tinfoil on 450 for about 30 minutes, until soft. Squeeze out the cloves and mash with a fork.

5 pounds of Yukon gold potatoes- scrub and cut into small chunks with the skin still on. Put the potatoes into a large pot, cover with water, put on the lid, and bring to a boil. Uncover and simmer for about 15-20 minutes until fork tender (do a smash test). Drain the water out of the pot.

Add the butter, roasted garlic, 2T of olive oil, and kosher salt to taste.

Mash with a fork, big spoon, or potato masher. Add milk until you achieve desired consistency.

Unlike mashed potatoes, no mixer is needed and the potatoes don't need to be peeled. :-)

October 3, 2013 Update -- I recently made a smaller portion of potatoes for our family of four to go with Ancho-Marinated Wings.

I used 1 1/2 pounds of Baby Dutch Yellow Potatoes. I rinsed them off, and because they are so small, I usually only had to cut them in half.

Recipe adjustments for 1 1/2 pounds of potatoes -- 1 bulb of garlic, 4T butter, 1T olive oil

December 26, 2013 Update

On Christmas, I made smashed potatoes with a 1 1/2 pound bag of French Fingerling Potatoes I purchased at The Fresh Market. I used one bulb of roasted garlic, 4 tablespoons of butter, two tablespoons of milk, and kosher salt to taste.