Look like a chef with my easy smashed potatoes

I am a lover of all things potatoes. Roasted, mashed, fried, you name it I’ll eat it. But my favorite kind of potato, hands down, is the smashed potato.

It looks elegant, but it’s so easy. This potato is crispy on the outside, soft and delicious on the inside, and the perfect side to your next family dinner.

The key to making smashed potatoes is to use baby potatoes, as they are small and don’t require any chopping.

What you first want to do is boil them in salted water until soft, but make sure the skin doesn’t start to peel.

While your potatoes are boiling, you are going to want to preheat your oven to 425 degrees, and grab a tray lined with tinfoil and a splash of olive oil. I also like to pan fry some onions to add with the potatoes to give them extra flavor while baking.

Once the potatoes are boiled, allow for them to cool so you can pick them up with your hands and get smashing!

The ONLY way to smash potatoes is using any round surface like a cup to perfectly break the potato. Anytime you try any other method it mashes, not smashes. The distinction is slight, but if you do it any other way you’ll see what I mean. I usually wrap a cup in a napkin and then one by one I apply a little bit of pressure to each potato, just until it cracks slightly, flattening half way.

Once you have repeated this process with every potato, align them on a baking tray and add the sautéed onions along with any seasoning you like. I like to use salt, pepper, lemon pepper, garlic and fresh herbs like rosemary. Place the potatoes in the oven for 40 minutes, flipping halfway through.

When you remove the potatoes from the oven, immediately add fresh parmesan on top, for an extra crisp and flavor. These potatoes are seriously a staple at my family dinner table, and are guaranteed to be delicious every time.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Judi Franco. Any opinions expressed are Judi's own.