Punched Potatoes
By Lee Jackson ↣ Published on: October 22, 2019
Want to discover why people all across Argentina are punching their potatoes? The answer is simple… it makes them more delicious! Crisp and creamy in every magnificent bite.
So, Punched Potatoes! Before these little morsels came into my life, I don't think I'd ever considered punching food as a legit technique - I'm not sure that Le Cordon Bleu have it it in their curriculum, but it's pretty real in South America, so I've been told. And it's easy to see why. They're utterly delicious!
Why are Argentinians punching potatoes?
So, what is a punched potato? Primarily, it's a regular potato; cooked then assaulted, then cooked some more. This creates a lovely crisp and creamy combination with the flavour highlighted by olive oil.
In my punched potatoes recipe (which I've perfected over many months) the magic happens with the use of oil. Top notch extra virgin olive oil to be precise - the late addition of this shows the potato some love and in turn creates the other-worldly texture you've ever experienced in a potato! Crispy, creamy, and altogether completely addictive. Given the opportunity, I would just sit with the baking tray on my lap and consume the entire thing in one sitting (I may have done this in the past).
Why they work...
They're so addictive - Honestly, I can't and will not allow leftovers. If there's a punched potato in front of me, I'm smashing it!
How to...
Punching potatoes is easy, you just need to give them a little lovca and attention while cooking.
- Step 1 - Pierce each potato with a sharp knife then roast in the oven at 180ºC/350ºF for 30-40 minutes until they're soft enough.
- Step 2 - Using a paper towel folded to protect you from the heat, press firmly down on each potato to flatten down a bit.
- Step 3 - Drizzle oil over each potato and put back in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Step 4 - Turn the potatoes and return to the oven for another 15 minutes. Things will crisp up nicely at this stage. Remove from the oven and serve!
Ready to get cooking?
These delights really do punch above their weight in flavour and texture - they're the perfect accompaniment to a juicy steak, a salad, fish, poultry... you name it, they're a great partner. I think it's my most favourite way to serve potatoes and they NEVER fail to impress and garner a small ripple of applause, even if it's just me eating them! Hope you enjoy the recipe.
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Ingredients
- 1 kg red potatoes
- Salt & pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Love.
Instructions
- Paying attention to these potatoes is key. So often, potatoes are just treated as an accidental accompaniment - we need to show some love to get the best from them. This is my top tip!
- Heat oven to 180ºC/350ºF
- With a sharp paring knife deeply pierce each potato. Place all the potatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle over some olive oil. Toss the potatoes around to cover evenly.
- Bake in the oven for 40 minutes before turning the potatoes - then, using a paper towel to protect your hands from the heat, firmly press down on each potato with the palm of your hand to flatten them slightly.
- Drizzle over 1 Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over each potato and season generously with salt & pepper.
- Return to the oven for a further 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven and serve.
- Serve alongside a delicious steak, some BBQ chicken or a grilled fish. But let's get real - they're potatoes - they go with everything!
Didn’t have any love, so substituted with hate. Seriosuly though, great recipe.
Sometimes the most delicious meals are filled with hate!
Thanks
Lee
Mmmmm, Potatoes and Oil. This recipe is delicious and even I can cook it!
Horrible recipe.. potatoes don’t cook at 180 degrees
What size potatoes were you using that didn’t cook in 1 hour at 180ºC? Highly unusual that they wouldn’t cook in that time.
You probably had them at 180ºF in which case you didn’t read the recipe. I’m guessing that’s your mistake.
Oh, Chris…
This is a superb recipe for the literate
Not sure what you mean but I’ll take it. :)
Lee