Ingredients

The following ingredients have 3 Servings
  • 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks)
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 6 garlic cloves (peeled - remove any green germs/sprouts from the cloves)
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • Salt (to taste)
  • Black or white pepper (to taste)

Instruction

  • Add extra virgin olive oil to a small skillet. Place the garlic cloves in the skillet. Heat the olive oil over medium for 2-3 minutes, watching carefully, until it just begins to sizzle around the edges of the cloves. Don't let them sizzle too long or you will start to fry them. 
  • Reduce heat to low/medium low. Stir well to coat the cloves in the hot oil. Let the garlic cook slowly for 20-30 minutes, stirring and flipping the cloves every few minutes, until the cloves are soft, tender and golden. While garlic is roasting, proceed to next step.
  • Wrap the 2 sprigs of rosemary in a piece of cheesecloth and tie in a bundle.Fill a large saucepan with enough water to cover the potatoes by 2-3 inches. Boil the water.
  • Add 2 teaspoons of salt to the cooking water after it starts boiling. Add the potato chunks to the boiling water along with the rosemary bundle. Let the potatoes cook for roughly 20 minutes until tender.When garlic is done roasting, remove the roasted cloves with a slotted spoon and let the oil cool. 
  • When potatoes are done cooking, remove the rosemary bundle and discard. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water before draining the potatoes in a colander. Return potatoes to the hot pot. Use an electric hand mixer or a potato masher to begin mashing the potatoes. Be sure to beat on the lowest speed throughout the process. When the potatoes have turned crumbly, add all of the olive oil and a bit of the cooking water (adding 1-2 tablespoons at a time) and continue mashing until the texture you desire is achieved. Add additional salt and pepper to taste as desired.
  • I prefer a using an electric hand mixer for a very smooth, creamy mash. One caveat - you should ONLY mix until you achieve the desired texture. If you mix too long or on too high a speed, your potatoes will become gummy. You can also use a hand masher if you prefer, which will eliminate the risk of gummy potatoes. Hand masher tends to work better for very large batches.
  • The olive oil will impart a nice mild garlic flavor to the potatoes. If you want a very garlicky mash, you can mince the roasted garlic cloves and stir them into the mash. Taste before adding; my family prefers it without the added garlic. 
  • Serve hot.