Italian Style Smashed Potatoes


As an Irish girl, I love potatoes. When presented with this week's sensational sides theme of mashed, I knew was going to make potatoes. Italian smashed potatoes have become one of my favorite way to mash potatoes. It's just boiled unpeeled red potatoes with Italian parsley, a good Italian hard cheese, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Remember, all those nutritional goodies are in the skins. They go with everything. So simple. The amount of these ingredients listed below is a mere suggestion.

Ingredients:
2 pounds of red skinned potatoes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped
1/4 pound of really good pecorino romano or Parmigiano- Reggiano cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Rinse, clean, and cut the potatoes into roughly equivalent chunks to ensure even cooking. Place them in a medium to large sauce pot with salted water. Bring to a boil on medium high heat. Boil under fork tender, about 15 minutes. Remove about a cup of the water before draining if need when smashing.

Smash/mash drained potatoes with the olive oil. Try not to over mash them. I personally like a chunkier texture. Add some of the reserved water if you want a creamier, looser consistency. Using a spoon add and mix in the parsley, cheese, and salt and pepper. As always, season to your taste preference.
 
-Erin Swing
Swing Eats

This is part of Food Network's Sensational Sides Food Fest. Check out The FN Dish. The spring food we're focusing on here is anything "mashed." On twitter, we're tagging #SensationalSides.  Here’s the link to our Pinterest board: http://pinterest.com/foodnetwork/lets-pull-up-a-chair/.  Here are smashing mashed other delicious recipes:
 
The Wimpy Vegetarian: Mashed Celery Root with Blue Cheese and Watercress
Creative Culinary: Leek, Bacon, Garlic and Thyme Smashed Potato Cakes
Dishin & Dishes: Jalapeno Spaghetti Squash Hash Browns
Weelicious: Mashed Potato Cakes
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Spicy Roasted Eggplant Mash
Taste with the Eyes: La Purée de Pommes de Terre de Joël Robuchon
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Roasted Carrot, Onion & Garlic Mash
Red or Green: Cauliflower & Beet Mash with Chile Infused Olive Oil
Swing Eats: Italian Style Smashed Potatoes
The Mom 100: Perfect Mashed Potatoes
Daily*Dishin: Mashed NotPotatoes Cauliflower
FN Dish: 5 Crazy-Good Ways to Do Up Mashed Potatoes

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