Smashed & Roasted Crispy Potatoes

Okay, so I know that a lot of people don't consider potatoes to be Paleo.  They are carb-heavy and starchy so if you are trying to lose weight on this diet, you should avoid them.  BUT, technically they follow the guidelines in that they are roots/tubers just like sweet potatoes, so I decided they are fine for us.  Plus, these potatoes are freakin' delicious.  I found the idea for these on Pinterest and then went to my trusty favorite, the Pioneer Woman for her recipe.  Now here's the deal-  I sort of messed these up and they did not look as beautiful as hers (I can never make them look as good as the pictures!).  I am pretty sure that I did not let them cook in the pot enough, so they were not soft enough to smash neatly, so they turned into a bit of a huge mess.  Instead of individual little smashed potatoes, I ended up with a baking tray full of smashed potato guts (see photos below).  Luckily, the lack of prettiness did not affect the taste or texture, and these were amazing.  My husband agreed- these were probably the best potatoes I have ever made.  The fact that they are essentially twice-cooked makes them super crispy and delicious.  I highly recommend these to anyone, including those who are not hard-core Paleo, just regular Paleo.  Here is what I did:

Smashed & Roasted Crispy Potatoes
(serves 3-4)

• 12 whole small red or new potatoes
• olive oil
• salt & pepper
• handful of herbs, freshly chopped or dried (rosemary, thyme, parsley, etc)

Preparation

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add in the potatoes (make sure they are fully covered) and cook them until they are fork-tender, about 20 minutes. 

At this point, preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  On a baking sheet/tray, drizzle olive oil all over (the bottom should be fairly coated). Place cooked potatoes (make sure they are soft enough to smash!) on the cookie sheet.  With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes.  (This is where mine didn't turn out so well- if they are soft enough, they should smash easily, but if not, they may just all smash together in a big mess- oh well!).  Either brush the tops of each crushed potato with more olive oil, or if they are already all messy, just mix them around in the oil with a spatula.  Sprinkle potatoes with salt, pepper, and chopped herbs.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

This is what mine looked like right out of the oven.  Obviously, they are not pretty little individual potatoes, but they sure tasted good!  I served these with grilled steaks and balsamic mushrooms, and the meal was amazing.  This is one to try, and hopefully yours will turn out prettier than mine!