Potato Squashers Food

POTATO SQUASHERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Scrub potatoes and pierce with knife.
• Place potatoes on parchment lined baking sheet.
• Bake for 1 hour or until tender when pierced.
• Remove from oven; increase heat to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Using a metal spatula, flatten each potato into uneven rounds so flesh squishes out.
• Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
• Sprinkle with salt.
• Bake 12 minutes.
• Flip potatoes and drizzle with remaining oil.
• Sprinkle with salt.
• Bake 12 minutes or until outer edges and skins are crispy and golden.

SPAGHETTI SQUASH AND POTATO GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• Poke the squash all around with a fork, then microwave it in 5-minute increments, rotating in between, until the outside is soft and yields a little when pressed with your fingers, about 15 minutes total. Be careful when rotating and removing the squash, as it will become very hot.
• Meanwhile, combine the cream, butter, garlic, thyme, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large saucepan. Peel the potatoes, then slice them paper thin on a mandoline, placing them in the cream mixture as you slice. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, then remove from the heat.
• When the squash is cool enough to handle, slice it in half, scoop out the seeds, then scrape out the flesh with a fork into a medium bowl. Discard the skin and seeds.
• Layer the bottom of the prepared baking dish with 1/2 the potatoes. Top with 1/2 the squash, then the remaining potatoes, then the remaining squash. Pour all the liquid from the potato mixture into the baking dish, and press the vegetables down to submerge. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan on top. Put the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until golden brown and a knife slides easily into the potatoes, about 1 hour. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

SQUISHED BABY POTATOES

Steps:

• Scrub the potatoes and cook, unpeeled, in boiling salted water until tender. Drain. When cool enough to touch, squish them flat using a coffee cup or ramekin. Don't let them explode, just flatten until the edges break a bit, but they are still in one piece. Toss in olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat the oven to 400 degrees F/200 degrees C. Spread the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake until crisp outside and soft inside, about 40 minutes.

SQUASHED HERBY POTATOES

Steps:

• Cook the new potatoes (with their skins on) in boiling salted water for 15-20 minutes depending on their size. They should be quite soft for this recipe.
• Meanwhile warm the oil and herbs in a small pan - this helps release all the flavours. Drain the potatoes, tip them into a bowl and 'squash' each potato with a fork - it should break up but not fall apart. Be gentle here, as you don't want the potatoes completely collapsing. Pour over the herb oil, gently stir, tip into a serving dish, then sprinkle over a good pinch of Maldon sea salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.

POTATO SMASHERS

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a small microwave-safe dish; add water. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 8-9 minutes or until tender, stirring once., Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain. Crumble bacon and set aside., With the bottom of a glass, flatten potatoes to 1/2-in. thickness. In the same skillet coated with cooking spray, cook potatoes in dressing over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown., Turn potatoes; sprinkle with cheese and reserved bacon. Cover and cook 2-3 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Serve with sour cream if desired.

CRUNCHY POTATO SQUARES WITH HERBY SALT

Steps:

• To make the herby salt, put all the ingredients in a small food processor (or use a pestle and mortar) and grind to a fine salt.
• Tip the potatoes into a large roasting tin and toss with the oil, polenta, 2 tbsp of the herby salt and some black pepper. Any leftover salt will keep for up to 5 days in a small sealed container.
• Bake underneath a joint of meat, if cooking, at 200C/180C fan/gas 6 for 30 mins. When the meat comes out, turn up the heat to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and cook on the top shelf for another 45 mins, shaking the tin halfway through the cooking time.

HOLIDAY HAM AND POTATO CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Heat butter in a pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté with a pinch of salt until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, just to take off that starchy, raw edge, about 2 minutes. Pour in heavy cream and whisk to combine. Whisk in milk. Cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until it just starts to simmer and thicken up. Add 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and cayenne. Grate in nutmeg.
• Turn off heat. Stir in Worcestershire and fresh thyme leaves. Reserve until needed.
• Cover the bottom of a deep 10x15-inch casserole dish with about 25% of the reserved sauce. Add a layer of sliced potatoes, seasoning the tops with some of the remaining salt as desired; ladle over 1/3 of the sauce and sprinkle over 1/3 of the grated Cheddar cheese. Layer in ½ of the sliced ham.
• Place another layer of sliced potatoes on top and season with salt. Ladle over ½ of the remaining sauce; repeat layering with Cheddar cheese and ham.
• Place last layer of potatoes on top. Ladle over remaining sauce and spread out with a spatula. Sprinkle over remaining Cheddar cheese.
• Bake uncovered in the preheated oven until browned, bubbling, and potatoes are very tender, about 1 ½ hours. Let cool for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.