Comfort comes in many forms. When you’re little, nothing soothes like a thumb or a well worn stuffed friend. When you get older, solace for some can be found in a box of Milk Duds mixed with popcorn at the movies. Oh, perhaps that’s just me.

I think we can all agree that roasted potatoes top the list of comfort foods. The ultimate roast potato is a study in contrasts: the outside should be shatteringly crisp, crunchy and salty, while the inside is tender and fluffy.

Start with mini potatoes. Multi-coloured ones are pretty. Rosemary, garlic, olive oil and plenty of salt are part of the plan.Begin by giving the potatoes a head start in a pot of boiling salted water. About 10-15 minutes should suffice. We just want the skin of the potato to be tender.Then the fun begins! Drain potatoes and spread them out on a baking sheet. Use a potato masher or fork to gently break the surface of the potatoes. I love my spring loaded masher. Be gentle here. You are not looking to make mashed potatoes. You just want to break the surface of the skins and allow the flesh to to be exposed. You are essentially creating more surface area, more little nooks and crannies to be crisped up in the oven. 

Click here to print recipe for Crispy Smashed Roasted Potatoes.

I like to think of them as the adult version of thumb sucking! Share if you must, it’s the grown up thing to do.