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Batatas a murro
Punched roast potatoes with garlic oil
Batatas a murro: small roast potatoes punched open and drenched in garlic olive oil
Order bacalhau na brasa in a Minho tasca and it arrives with these: small potatoes roasted in their skins on a bed of coarse salt, given a sharp punch to split them, then soaked in hot olive oil and garlic. The skins go crisp and salty while the flesh turns fluffy and drinks up the oil. They are just as good next to grilled sardines in June or a roast chicken on Sunday. Chef's tip: pick potatoes the size of a hen's egg so they cook through before the skins burn.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ lb small waxy potatoesabout 16, washed and dried, skins on
- 4 tbsp coarse sea salt
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 5 cloves garlicthinly sliced
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ tsp sweet paprika (optional)
- 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley (optional)chopped
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What you'll need
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 400°F. Scatter the 4 tbsp coarse sea salt over a baking tray and roll the damp 2 ¼ lb small waxy potatoes in it so the salt sticks.
5 minStep 2: Roast for 45–50 minutes, until the skins are wrinkled and crisp and a skewer slides into the centre with no resistance.
50 minStep 3: While they roast, warm the ½ cup extra virgin olive oil with the 5 cloves garlic and 1 bay leaf in a small pan over a low heat for 5 minutes, until the garlic is pale gold and fragrant. A common mistake is letting it brown: dark garlic tastes bitter.
5 minStep 4: Brush off excess salt. Put each potato on a board, cover with a clean tea towel and give it a quick punch with your fist so it splits open but stays in one piece.
5 minStep 5: Arrange in a warm dish, pour the hot garlic oil over and into the cracks, dust with ½ tsp sweet paprika and 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley if using, and serve at once.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 300 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 37 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does batatas a murro take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of small waxy potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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