Parmesan Smashed Potatoes

[Laura B]

I made these last night and just had them for leftovers. I just have to share because they are FANTASTIC! If you like really creamy mashed potatoes, these are to die for. They are from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. Here is the recipe with my adjustments for substantially less fat.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Parmesan Smashed Potatoes

Recipe By :Ina Garten
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Side Dishes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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3 pounds red potatoes -- unpeeled
1 tablespoon kosher salt -- plus 2 teaspoons
1 1/2 cups half-and-half, fat free
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese -- freshly grated
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place the potatoes and 1 tablespoon of kosher salt in a 4-quart saucepan with cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer covered for 25-35 minutes, until the potatoes are completely tender. Drain.

In a small saucepan, heat the half-and-half and butter.

Put the potatoes into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix them for a few seconds on law to break them up. Slowly add the hot cream and butter to the potatoes, mixing on the lowest speed (the last quarter of the cream and butter should be folded in by hand). Fold in the sour cream, Parmesan, remaining salt, and pepper; taste for seasoning and serve immediately. If the potatoes are too thick, add more hot cream and butter.

Source:
"The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook"

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Per Serving: 256 Calories; 8g Fat (29.5% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 37g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 22mg Cholesterol; 871mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Non-Fat Milk; 1 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : The original recipe in The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook called for regular half-and-half, regular sour cream, and a stick of butter (and 21 grams of fat per serving). By substituting fat free half-and-half, low-fat sour cream, and cutting the butter in half, the fat drops to 8 grams of fat per serving (and under 30% calories from fat) but the dish still tastes incredible!

To reheat, place the mashed potatoes in an ovenproof baking dish and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the top is browned and the potatoes are heated through.
Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

[Holly in KC]

Laura - thanks for posting... this looks delicious!! I'm a sucker for any potato recipe - this one's printing as I type.

[greta]

laura b, thank you SO much for posting this recipe. i made them on friday night with the italian meatloaf. BIG HIT. the leftovers were just as good--how often does that happen with mashed potatoes? this recipe will be a regular.

[Laura B]

Greta, I am so happy that you liked them! I have made them at least twice since I first posted them, and I cannot get over how fabulous they are. And, you're right, the leftovers are just as good as the day they were made!

I am probably going to be hosting Thanksgiving for the first time this year, and I am thinking I will make these.

[Laura B]

Greta, out of curiousity - did you make the regular-fat version or the lightened version?

[vbak]

These potatoes sound great. Vicky

[greta]

laura b, i made the lightened version.
oh, i also think the recipe is pretty easy--i like not having to peel the potatoes.

[kathy123]

I made these potatoes tonight. They were fabulous. Thank you for posting the recipe. I own a couple of the Contessa cookbooks but I have not made anything from the cookbooks.

[lanie]

Thanks for sharing Laura - looks fantastic! One thing, dumb question probably, we don't have the pleasure of being able to buy FF half & half - how would FF evaporated milk work - or what do you think would be a good substitute??????

[crc77]

thanks so much for the recipe! sounds perfect for when my mom comes up next month. i needed just this thing!
cheryl

[Gracie]

Lanie - you can use FF evaporated milk interchangeably with FF half and half (I do). I think I read that FF half and half has corn syrup in it.....:(


Loren

[Gwendolyn]

Thank you so much for posting this lightened recipe!! I made the potatoes (the lightened version) for a dinner party on Saturday night, and they were AMAZING!! At first they appeared to be too runny, but they came together well, and they were heavenly. I made them in advance, put them in a 9x13 in the refrigerator, and then reheated for 40 minutes before dinner. Yum yum! I can't say enough good things about this recipe. When I first tried them right after making them, I said "OMG! OMG!" DH thought something was wrong and came running to the kitchen. Of course, once he tried the potatoes, he understood.

One note: I think that the quality of your cheese is incredibly important in this recipe, especially the lightened version. I used freshly shaved Parmagiano-Reggiano, and it was fabulous. I wouldn't attempt this with the pre-shredded and plastic-bagged parmesan.

[Jewel]

I made these a few months ago and subbed liquid Butter Buds for the butter in the recipe and made them even lower fat! :D I didn't notice any real difference in flavor using the Butter Buds, and the FF half & half kept them creamy!

[Laura B]

Originally posted by Gwendolyn
One note: I think that the quality of your cheese is incredibly important in this recipe, especially the lightened version. I used freshly shaved Parmagiano-Reggiano, and it was fabulous. I wouldn't attempt this with the pre-shredded and plastic-bagged parmesan.

I'm so glad you liked the recipe. I totally agree on the cheese issue. I ALWAYS use freshly grated P-R and it makes all the difference!

Jewel, thanks for the tip on Butter Buds. I have never used them, but maybe I should look into it! Did you calculate the nutritional info and WW points with the Butter Buds?

[Jewel]

Originally posted by Laura B
Jewel, thanks for the tip on Butter Buds. I have never used them, but maybe I should look into it! Did you calculate the nutritional info and WW points with the Butter Buds?

Nu-uh...I probably should have, huh? :o I just figured no butter and fat free half & half, the only real fat in the potatoes was the Parmesan!

I've been using Butter Buds off and on for years, but Don Mauer swears by them so I started using them more frequently in foods. The key to the liquid form is to mix the packet with 1/2 cup of hot water in a coffee cup or pyrex measuring cup, mix it with a fork to avoid lumps, then let it sit while you're making the rest of the meal. It has to thicken up just a little. When you first mix it it's very watery. About 10-15 minutes later it's a little thicker. I use it in mashed potates almost exclusively now, and I always spoon it on my veggies before I microwave or after I steam. It makes a half cup, and any leftovers can be put in a small Tupperware container and refrigerated. It's in a yellow box in the spice section of the store! It's not to replace spreads on toast or breads, but if you're going to be melting butter for veggies it's perfect!

[sunberst]

thanks for posting.

made the full-fat original version of these.

while there is no denying that these are very good, they are not my "style" of mashed potatoes. i fancy the firmer, thick, lumpy kind.

these reminded me of the kind you get in french restaurants- buttery, soft & on the thinner side.

in fact i was scared for a second when i added all of that liquid (the half & half and melted butter). i have never added that much liquid to potatoes before and it looked so watery. but within 3 minutes it started to absorb and come together nicely.

i did use fresh grated parmesan. the red skins of the potatoes peeked through the white creaminess and it looked really pretty.

i sprinkled penzey's fox point on top of them to give them a little more flavor and finishing touch.

[claire797]

I make these all the time and mine come out firm, thick and lumpy. I just add a little less half and half.

[sunberst]

Originally posted by claire797
I make these all the time and mine come out firm, thick and lumpy. I just add a little less half and half. hmmm... one of the mysteries of the world.

normally i would only use a few tablespoons of milk per 3 pounds of potatoes. so 1 1/2 cup of half & half really changes things up compared to what i am use to!

[bakerbruce]

I think I could eat the entire recipe rather than share it. It looks fabulous!

[dlaboriel]

I'm making this dish tonight. Sounds so yummy.




_________________________________________
To lengthen thy life, lessen thy food.

-Benjamin Franklin

[Vicanddi]

Finally made these, with her turkey meatloaf. Loved the meatloaf, probably the best turkey meat loaf I have had. I used TJ's BBQ sauce instead of ketchup or tomato paste, and I think that is what made it even better. Okay, back to the potatoes....I used the lightened version that Laura B posted, except I omitted the sour cream. I'm not a big fan of sour cream in my potatoes and they were creamy enough without it. I also didn't use as much salt as the recipe calls for. These are great! Nice and creamy, and just cheesey enough to make a difference. DH loved them, and actually cleaned his plate. He usually does not like potato peels left on, and will shove that part to the side, but he ate potatoes, peels and all, which is a good sign! It's actually a fairly easy potato recipe, considering you don't have to peel the potatoes. Both great recipes, definite repeaters. Here's the turkey meatloaf recipe, in case anyone wants it, scaled down and with my changes. (The original recipe calls for 5 lbs of turkey!!! :eek: )


* Exported from MasterCook *

Turkey Meat Loaf

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Poultry

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3/4 cup onion -- chopped
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 cup worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup nonfat chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon tomato paste -- or BBQ sauce
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
1/2 cup bread crumbs -- plain, dry
1 large eggs -- beaten
1/4 cup barbecue sauce

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a medium saute' pan, on medium-low heat, cook the onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme until the onions are translucent but not browned, about 15 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce, broth, and tomato paste and mix well. Let cool.

Combine the turkey, bread crumbs, eggs, and onion mixture in a large bowl. Mix well and shape into a rectangular loaf onto an ungreased baking sheet. Spread the barbecue sauce evenly on top. Bake for 1 1/2 hours, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees and the meat loaf is cooked through. Serve hot, room temperature, or cold in a sandwich.


Source:
"Adapted from the Barefoot Contessa"
Yield:
"1 loaf"
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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 241 Calories; 12g Fat (45.1% calories from fat); 23g Protein; 10g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 121mg Cholesterol; 481mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 3 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

Serving Ideas : Serve with Parmesan Smashed Potatoes.

NOTES : This is great! Cooking the onions with the spices first adds a lot of flavor.

My cooking time was about 1 hour. I used Trader Joe's BBQ sauce instead of the ketchup and tomato paste. I needed to add a bit more bread crumbs, about 1/4 cup more, since my turkey was a little shy of a pound and a half.

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

[helene]

Thanks for the recipe. 2 questions.

1- What is the result if I peel the potatoes? I don't like potatoes with skin on.

2- Do you think I can freeze leftovers?

And also, thanks for the turkey meat loaf.

[Laura B]

Helene, I think you can definitely peel the potatoes, it will just add a lot of work and give a smoother result. I have no idea about freezing. They do reheat well, but I have never tried freezing. If you do freeze them, please report back as to how well it worked!

[claire797]

Helene,

I have had good luck freezing these potatoes.

[Vicanddi]

Claire, I'm glad you've tried freezing them! I didn't know that answer, as this is my first time making them. I wondered how they would freeze, since they have dairy products. Thanks for the info :)

About the peel, I imagine they would turn out okay peeled. I think leaving them on adds to the presentation and taste of the overall dish, but if you really don't like them, I think they would still be pretty god without. Just be careful not to overcook, so they're not mushy. Has anyone tried these with the potatoes peeled?