Mashed Potatoes With Crispety Cruncheties

Ingredients for Mashed Potatoes With Crispety Cruncheties

• 1.8kg German Butterball or Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed

• 1 head of garlic, divided

• 5 sprigs thyme

• 2 teaspoons black peppercorns, lightly crushed

• 275g (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

• 950ml (or more) whole milk

• 1 tablespoon (or more) kosher salt

• 1 lemon

• 2 1/2"-thick slices country-style bread, torn into 1" pieces

• 475ml kettle-style crisps (such as Cape Cod)

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

• 3 sprigs thyme, leaves picked

• 1 teaspoon hot smoked Spanish paprika

• 1/3 cup chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 204°C. If using German Butterballs, place potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet or in a cast-iron skillet and roast, turning halfway through, until very tender (a paring knife inserted into the centre should meet with no resistance), 45–50 minutes.

If using Yukon Golds, place on a rimmed baking sheet or in a large baking dish and cover tightly with foil. Roast until very tender, 80–95 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove 4 garlic cloves from garlic head and set aside for the topping. Cut remaining head of garlicin half crosswise and place in a medium saucepan with thyme, peppercorns, butter, 950ml milk, and 1 tablespoon salt.

Using a vegetable peeler, remove wide strips of zest from half of lemon and add to pot; set lemon aside for the topping. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Immediately remove from heat, cover, and let sit at least 30 minutes.

When potatoes are done, use a paring knife to remove skins (it’s important to do this while they are very hot; hold them in a kitchen towel to protect your hands), then pass them through a ricer or food mill fitted with the fine disk into a large pot (or simply mash them in the pot with a potato masher).

Return garlic mixture to a simmer, then pour through a fine-mesh sieve into pot with potatoes; discard solids. Set potato mixture over medium heat and whisk until liquid is incorporated and potatoes are very smooth and bubbling. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve.

Do Ahead: Potatoes can be made 2 days ahead. Transfer to an airtight container and let cool. Cover and chill. Reheat over medium, whisking constantly and loosening with more milk if needed.

Pulse reserved 4 garlic cloves in a food processor until finely chopped, about 15 seconds. Add bread and crisps and process in long pulses until coarse crumbs form, about 1 minute.

Heat butter in a large ovenproof skillet over medium until foaming. Add breadcrumb mixture and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until mixture is coated in butter and fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer skillet to oven; bake, tossing every 5 minutes, until crumbs and chips are evenly dark golden brown, 15–20 minutes.

Meanwhile, finely grate remaining lemon zest from reserved lemon into a small bowl. Add thyme leaves and paprika and toss to combine.

Remove crumb mixture from oven and immediately toss in thyme mixture. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Let topping cool in pan, then add parsley.

To serve, transfer mashed potatoes to a large bowl and sprinkle topping over.

Do Ahead: Topping (without parsley) can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

Disclaimer

While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.