Smashed Batata Harra Potatoes

Smashed Batata Harra Potatoes bring together the irresistible crispy texture of smashed potatoes with the bold, spicy flavors of the beloved Lebanese mezze dish batata harra. Batata harra meaning spicy potatoes in Arabic is so called because of the garlicky, herby and zesty chili sauce that these potatoes are coated in. In this recipe I’ve swapped the traditional cubes of fried potatoes for a texturally satisfying twist of smashed potatoes, perfect for serving in place of fries at any barbecue.

Preparing Your Potatoes

For smashed potatoes, I prefer to use baby potatoes with a starchy texture as they crisp up best in the oven. Varieties like Russet, Yukon Gold, Maris Piper, and King Edward are best suited to this dish. You can also use regular sized starchy potatoes, but you’ll need to cut them into large chunks first.

Start by washing your potatoes, then place them in a large pot with a few generous pinches of salt. Pour over room temperature water until they’re completely submerged. Turn the heat to high and bring the water up to a full boil, then once boiling set a timer for 20 minutes. By bringing the water to a boil with the potatoes, they come up to temperature slowly and develop a more even texture throughout. The potatoes are done when a fork sinks right through them easily. Drain and let them cool for about 10 minutes so they’re easier to handle.

You can also make the potatoes fully in the oven if you prefer not washing a pot. Add them to an oven tray and coat in oil, then cook in a 200C (400F) oven for about 30 minutes until the potatoes are soft and cooked through, then carry on with the smashing steps below.

Getting the Perfect Crispy Texture

Preheat your oven to 200C (400F). Pour vegetable oil onto a nonstick or parchment paper lined oven tray and add the cooled potatoes, toss to lightly coat them. Using something flat and sturdy like a measuring cup or glass, dip it in vegetable oil, then smash each potato to about half a centimeter (1/3 inch) thick. Dipping your smashing tool in oil prevents the potatoes from sticking. Spread the flattened potatoes out so they aren’t touching and have plenty of room for air to circulate around them. Split over two trays if necessary to ensure proper crisping. Before baking sprinkle some salt over the potatoes.

Bake for about 30-40 minutes. About halfway through, pull the tray out to flip the potatoes when they’re really golden and starting to crisp. Put them back in to continue cooking, and take them out when they’re crisped to your preference. Keep an eye on them after flipping as the thinner potatoes can get excessively crispy (yes that is a thing) if baked too long. Remove the potatoes from the oven once they have a crisp golden exterior and a fluffy soft interior.

Making the Batata Harra Sauce

In a pestle and mortar, combine roughly chopped red chilli, garlic cloves, and salt. Choose a milder chilli if you want to control the heat level. Crush everything together into a fine, smooth paste. You can also use a food processor if you’re in a rush, though a mortar produces a better textured sauce. Add paprika, black pepper, and olive oil, then mix until it emulsifies into a potent spicy paste.

On the stove, briefly heat a small pan with some olive oil over medium heat, then add the sauce and cook for 60 to 90 seconds, or until fragrant. This brief cooking mellows the raw intensity of the chilli and garlic and really melds the flavors. Next strip some coriander leaves from their stalks and finely chop.

Bringing It All Together

Add the crispy smashed potatoes to a bowl along with all of the fried chilli paste, fresh lemon juice, and a handful of chopped coriander. Give a thorough but gentle mix to coat the potatoes in the sauce without breaking them apart.

Pile the potatoes on a plate, then garnish with coriander, diced red chilli, and a little lemon zest.

Tips and tricks

• This recipe serves 1 as a main, or 2-3 as a side. You can scale this up 2 or 4 times as required. If cooking in bulk, ensure you use enough oven trays when roasting as plenty of air circulation is needed around the potatoes.
• When preparing this recipe ahead of time, make the smashed potatoes and sauce, then only combine them shortly before serving so the potatoes don’t overly soften.
• If you’re really in a rush and want to serve something similar, consider using frozen wedges or roast potatoes.

Smashed Batata Harra Potatoes

Servings 3 side servings

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Author Obi Fahmy

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Video instructions

Equipment

• large pot or pan
• Parchment paper lined oven tray
• pestle and mortar
• Small frying pan or pot
• Mixing bowl

Ingredients

  

For the potatoes

• 500 grams Baby potatoes (washed)
• 2 to 3 generous pinches Salt
• 2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
• pinch Salt

For the batata harra sauce

• 1 small Red chilli (roughly chopped)
• 2 to 3 Garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon Olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
• small bunch Fresh coriander leaves (finely chopped)
• 1/2 tablespoon Olive oil (extra virgin)

For garnish

• Fresh coriander leaves
• Red chilli (diced)
• Lemon zest

Instructions

 

• Place the washed potatoes in a large pot or pan. Add 2 to 3 generous pinches of salt, then pour over room temperature water until the potatoes are completely submerged.
  500 grams Baby potatoes, 2 to 3 generous pinches Salt
• Turn the heat to high and bring the water slowly to a full boil. Once boiling set a timer for 20 minutes and cook the potatoes until a fork sinks right through. Drain and let cool for about 10 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200C (400F).
• Pour vegetable oil onto a nonstick or parchment-lined oven tray. Add the cooled potatoes and shake to lightly coat them in oil.
  2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
• Using something flat and sturdy like a measuring cup dipped in oil, smash the potatoes to about half a centimeter thick. Spread them out so they aren’t touching and have plenty of room. If the tray looks full, split them over two trays. Sprinkle a quick crack of salt over the top.
  pinch Salt
• Bake for 40 to 60 minutes. About 25 minutes through, pull the tray out to flip the potatoes when they’re really golden and starting to crisp. Put them back in to continue cooking, and take them out when they’re crisped to your preference.
• In a pestle and mortar, combine the roughly chopped chilli, garlic cloves, and salt. Crush together into a fine, smooth paste.
  1 small Red chilli, 2 to 3 Garlic cloves, 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• Add paprika, black pepper, and olive oil. Mix until it emulsifies into a potent and tasty paste.
  1/2 teaspoon Paprika, 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper, 1/2 tablespoon Olive oil
• Cook the sauce in a pan over medium heat with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil for 60 to 90 seconds, or until fragrant, to mellow the raw chilli and garlic.
  1/2 tablespoon Olive oil
• Strip the coriander leaves from their stalks and finely chop them.
  small bunch Fresh coriander leaves
• Add the crispy smashed potatoes to a bowl. Add all of the fried chilli paste, lemon juice, and a handful of chopped coriander. Give a thorough but gentle mix to coat the potatoes in the sauce.
  1 tablespoon Lemon juice
• Pile the potatoes on a plate, then garnish with coriander, diced red chilli, and a little lemon zest.
  Fresh coriander leaves, Red chilli, Lemon zest

Notes

This recipe can serve 1 person as a main or large side, it will serve 2-3 people as a side alongside other side dishes. If you’re serving a crowd, double or quadruple the recipe.

If you prefer to cook the potatoes fully in the oven, coat the raw potatoes in oil and bake until tender. Then resume the potato smashing steps. Split over two oven trays to ensure there is enough air circulation for the potatoes to crisp up.

Thinner potatoes will crisp up a lot quicker and can easily char so they are worth removing early.

Control the heat level of the dish by using mild or hot chilis according to your preference.