Make crispy smashed potatoes with tomatoes, feta and mint for a marvellous summer side
Dhivya Subramanian’s recipe includes a bruschetta-inspired topping that makes in-season tomatoes the star
I love bruschetta, and what better time to make it than during the summer months when tomatoes are in season and packed with so much flavour? This recipe uses Middle Eastern ingredients, like sumac and pomegranate molasses, which perfectly complement the sweetness of the tomatoes. And instead of bread, I’ve opted for crispy smashed potatoes as the base, making it an ideal side dish for barbecues and backyard dinners. You could even prepare the potatoes in advance — just be sure not to add the tomato mixture until right before serving so the dish doesn’t get soggy.
Ingredients
- 680 g (1½ lbs) baby potatoes
- 1 tbsp fine sea salt
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to taste
- Coarse sea salt or kosher salt, to taste
Topping:
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
- ¼ cup pomegranate arils
- 2 tbsp roughly chopped fresh mint
- 1 tsp pomegranate molasses
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp sumac
- ½ tsp Aleppo pepper
- Coarse sea salt or kosher salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Garnish:
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 10-12 fresh mint leaves
Preparation
Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 400 F.
Add the potatoes to a medium saucepan and add water to cover. Add fine sea salt and bring to a boil. Cook the potatoes until fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and pat the potatoes dry.
Space the potatoes evenly on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Using the bottom of a sturdy water glass, carefully press down on each potato to flatten it until it’s about ¼ inch thick. Brush or drizzle the potatoes with half of the oil and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Flip the potatoes and repeat with the other half of the oil, adding more if needed. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through.
In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, pomegranate arils, mint, pomegranate molasses, oil, sumac and Aleppo pepper, and toss gently to mix.
Remove the potatoes from the oven and arrange them on a serving platter.
When ready to eat, add salt and pepper to the tomato mixture, then scatter the topping over the potatoes along with the feta and mint. Serve immediately.
Serves 6
Produced in collaboration with CBC Creator Network.
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