The summer before we opened Mozza, Matt came to stay with me at my house in Italy. We went to a luncheon at the Tuscan winery Arnaldo Caprai, where we were served rosemary-scented potatoes that inspired these. Smashing the potatoes gives them more surface area, which means more crispy bits—my favorite part.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Combine the potatoes, chopped rosemary, butter, garlic, salt, and 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. When the butter melts, stir to combine, then cover the pan with a lid and cook the potatoes until they are tender when pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes. Uncover the pan, remove the potatoes from the pan, and set them aside to cool slightly. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and discard, reserving the oil and butter in the pan. When the potatoes are cool enough to touch, one at a time, place the potatoes on a flat surface and use the heel of your hand to smash them 1/2 inch thick, pressing evenly to prevent the potatoes from breaking apart. Slide the potatoes off the surface rather than lifting them, to help keep them intact. You can prepare the potatoes to this point up to several hours in advance. Proceed just before you are ready to serve them.
Step 2
Add 2 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil to the oil-butter mixture, or enough so the fat in the pan is 1/2 inch deep, and heat over medium-high heat until the oil is almost smoking and slides easily in the pan, 2 to 3 minutes. If the oil begins to bubble, reduce the heat slightly.Working in two or more batches, add the smashed potatoes in a single layer to the pan, season with salt, and cook until they are deep brown and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the potatoes to paper towels to drain and season them with sea salt. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan, or more as needed, and heat before adding the second batch. Cook the remaining potatoes in the same way.
Step 3
To fry the rosemary, pour enough olive oil into a small skillet or saucepan to fill it 1 inch deep and line a small plate with paper towels. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until a pinch of salt sizzles when dropped into it. Add the rosemary and fry for about 30 seconds until crisp but not brown. Use a slotted spoon to remove the rosemary from the oil, transfer to the paper towels to drain, and season with salt. Strain the rosemary-infused oil through a fine-mesh strainer and reserve it to fry rosemary another time, to make vinaigrettes, or to drizzle over grilled meats or vegetables. (The rosemary can be fried up to several hours in advance. Store it in an airtight container at room temperature.) Serve warm, with the fried rosemary branches scattered on top.
