For centuries, potatoes have provided sustenance for the stomach and comfort for the soul. Today, we are lucky to have many varieties to choose from to not only feed us, but also inspire our meals.
There is the purple Peruvian with its intriguing violet hue. The popular Yukon gold, a creamy yellow variety, which I suspect has all but replaced the traditional Idaho baking potato. One of my favorites is the fingerling potato. It is smaller and tastier than the larger Yukon gold potato and comes in several varietie: Rose Finn, Russian Banana, French Fingerling, and LaRatte. The most popular and easily found is the Russian Banana fingerling. It has a yellow skin and more uniform shape, much like that of a small, fat sausage. When cooked, its texture is creamy and soft. I love fingerlings not only because they are irresistibly cute, but because they are easy to use and cook in no time. They can be mashed, baked or roasted to make a delicious side dish, a summer salad, or as an ingredient in a classic salad niciose.
One of my favorite ways to prepare fingerlings {besides the classic and always delicious mash with loads of butter and cream} is to toss them with a good extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of sea salt and roast them in the oven. You can eat them as is, with a generous grating of Parmiggiano Reggiano cheese, or this with an Olivada Aioli.
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SHOPPING LIST:
1 large handful of fingerling potatoes, cut crosswise into 1/4 inch rounds or lengthwise into two long halves.
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Teaspoon Wild Oregano & Sage salt
2 Tablespoons grated Parmiggiano Reggiano cheese {worth the splurge on this one!}
PREPARATION: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large bowl, toss the cut potatoes with the olive oil and salt. Place on a parchment lined sheet pan and bake in the oven for 30-45 minutes, depending on the cut size, until crisp and browned. Remove from the oven and toss with the Parmesan cheese.
Serve with a Olive Pesto aioli
1 Tablespoon Olivada Olive Pesto
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
In a small bowl, combine the pesto and mayonnaise until well blended. For extra garlicky aioli, add an additional chopped clove of garlic.
buon appetito!