Perfect Greek Diner Potatoes

Hip hip hooray! It's the first day of school and unlike last year, when I locked myself out of the house and took it easy, today I was a busy beaver. So after running around most of the day (figuratively of course, because mama doesn't run unless I am being chased...by someone with a weapon!) I am home and back in my happy place- the kitchen. 

Now, enough about me, let's get to these potatoes. I know what you are thinking. "Potatoes? Not very exciting." But here you would be wrong, well right and wrong. Potatoes are not what usually get my culinary juices flowing but these take me back to the a couple of wonderful trips to Greece and the Greek diners of my youth. They are so lovely- soft and tender on the inside and just a bit crisp in the outside. Add to that the fact they they are dead simple to make and you have side dish heaven! 

Perfect Greek Diner Potatoes

3 lbs Yukon gold Potatoes, sliced in wedges

4 cloves garlic, smashed

Heavy pinch of Kosher Salt

1/4 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Juice of 1 lemon

Water

Preheat oven to 450F

Slice potatoes into wedges and add to an oven proof baking dish, no need to be neat here. Just make sure they aren't too crowded. 

Next, take out your aggression on 4 cloves of garlic and smash. Remove skins and add to the potatoes.

Drizzle the Olive oil over the top (feel free to use more- I usually do)

Add the salt and lemon juice, and then add just enough water to almost cover the potatoes, but not quite. 

Place potatoes in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes, tossing lightly half way through.

The potatoes will have the most amazing soft, almost confited texture, with a few crispy bits. Yum!!

Serve  with your favorite roasted or grilled meat, chicken or fish. We like it with Greek marinated chicken or Mahi Mahi, or pork souvlaki. The leftovers are great for homefries or in frittatas. 

Hope you live this simple dish as much as we do! 

K