Lidia Bastianich is a world-renowned chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author, known for her delicious Italian cuisine. One of her most popular and easy-to-make recipes is this Italian potato recipe, a dish that combines the simplicity of potatoes with the rich flavors of garlic and peperoncino flakes. If you're looking for a flavorful and satisfying side dish to complement your main course, then look no further than Lidia's Italian potato with peperoncino.
Lidia's Italian potato recipe is a simple yet flavorful dish that is sure to impress your family and friends.
What Potatoes Are Needed In This Recipe?
To make this delicious Italian potato recipe, you will need large Russet Potatoes. Russets (also called Idaho potatoes) are large and oblong, and their texture is perfect for this type of dish.
About russet potatoes: for light and fluffy mashed potatoes, russets work best. They are the go-to potato for baking and can be fried up crispy and golden brown. Baked russets' delicate flavor and fluffy texture go well with a variety of toppings & sauces as well.
The Perfect Recipe for a Healthy and Flavorful Side Dish
To make this Italian potato recipe, you'll need a few ingredients. Firstly, some potatoes (duh!), olive oil, garlic, peperoncino flakes, salt, and fresh Italian parsley. Once you've got your ingredients ready, start preparing them by washing and boiling the potatoes. Put the peperoncino flakes in the spice grinder or mortar and pestle, and grind to a fine powder.
What Is Peperoncino?
Peperoncino is an assortment of delicious, hot Italian chilies - the word really just means "hot chili peppers" rather than referring to a specific variety. However, from pizza spots in the US and throughout Italy, peperoncino means Calabrian chilies or chili flakes. Calabria is where peperoncino is largely produced in Italy, although the region grows several varieties of peppers. These chile flakes provide a range of foods a moderate citrus aroma with undertones of sweetness and sourness, plus, obviously, some heat.
You can learn a little more about peperoncino in Calabria on Lidia's website here.
Whip Up This Mouthwatering Italian Potato Recipe in No Time!
Now for the fun part, cooking! Bring water to a boil & throw your potatoes in - but don't let them get mushy. Peel off the skins, and cut the potatoes crosswise into round slices. Put the slices in a large warmed serving bowl and don't forget to season them with salt, because who likes bland food, amirite?
This is where Lidia takes this recipe to the next level. The sauce. Place the skillet on medium heat with the olive oil in it for a few minutes. Sliced garlic should be strewn in the hot oil along with the crushed peperoncino, and both should sizzle while being stirred every few seconds, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the garlic is golden. Stir in the parsley after turning the heat off. Toss the warm potatoes to evenly coat them with the seasoned oil that has been drizzled over them from the skillet.
Serve Lidia's Italian Potato Recipe as a Versatile Side Dish or Main Course
You can serve this Italian potato recipe as a side dish or as a main course with a salad on the side. And if you're feeling adventurous, you can sprinkle some Parmesan cheese over the potatoes or use different herbs like thyme or oregano. But don't get too crazy, we don't want to ruin Lidia's "famous" recipe.
One more Lidia recipe to try: Ragu di Funghi Misti - or Mushroom Ragu!
This killer Mushroom Ragu recipe is a hearty, savory, robust Italian comfort dish and completely vegetarian! To achieve the richest and earthy mushroom taste, Lidia Bastianich uses fragrant aromatics like onions and fresh thyme in a porcini-infused stock. Here's our version of her Ragu di Funghi Misti - or Mushroom Ragu.
There you have it! Lidia Bastianich's Italian potato recipe that's so easy, even your unskilled friends can make it. We hope you enjoy this simple yet delicious dish, and who knows, maybe you'll impress your dinner guests and pretend you're the next Lidia.
Lidia's Easy + Delicious Italian Potato Recipe
Equipment
- spice grinder or small mortar and pestle
- a 4-quart saucepan
- a heavy-bottomed skillet or sauté pan, 8-to- 10- inch diameter.
Ingredients
- ¼ teaspoon peperoncino flakes or to taste (or red pepper flakes)
- 2 pounds large russet potatoes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 5 cloves plump garlic peeled and sliced
- 2 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley chopped
Instructions
For The Potatoes:
- Put the peperoncino flakes in the spice grinder or mortar and pestle, and grind to a powder.
- Put the potatoes in the 4-quart pot with water to cover them by about 2 inches, and bring to a boil. Cook just until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork or sharp knife blade (don't let them get mushy), then drain and let them cool. Estimated cook times: Medium potatoes (around 4oz) – once boiling, cook for 25-30 minutes. Large potatoes (around 8oz) – once boiling, cook for 40 minutes.
- Peel off the skins, and cut the potatoes crosswise into round slices, about ⅓ inch thick. Put the slices in a large warmed serving bowl, sprinkle the salt over them, and toss well to season. Cover the bowl with a cloth kitchen towel to keep them warm.
To make the dressing:
- Pour the olive oil in the skillet, and set over medium heat for a couple of minutes. Strew the sliced garlic and sprinkle the ground peperoncino in the hot oil, and let both sizzle, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat, and stir in the chopped parsley. Drizzle the seasoned oil from the skillet over the warm potatoes, and toss to coat all the slices. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Photos: Meg van der Kruik
Best Lidia Bastianich books:
Lidia is one of our favorite Italian chefs - you can learn more about her life in her biography, My American Dream: A Life of Love, Family and Food. Born to Italian family in Croatia, Lidia's story is truly inspiring, incredible and deeply interesting. O, the Oprah Magazine said it's a: “memoir as rich and complex as her mushroom ragú" - which seems deeply appropriate.
Lidia has written several amazing cookbooks, but our favorites are Lidia's a Pot, a Pan and a Bowl: Simple Recipes for Perfect Meals and Lidia's Favorite Recipes: 100 Foolproof Italian Dishes. Both are easy to use, fun to read, and offer easy to understand hearty Italian recipes.
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Frequently Asked Questions About This Italian Potato Recipe:
Compared to regular chili flakes, the peperoncino is generally a hotter chili flake. It is also called Calabrian chili.
Potatoes are a staple in Italian food. In addition to being served mashed up, fried up, boiled, or roasted as a side dish, potatoes in Italy also take center stage when cooked into delectable potato gnocchi, crunchy potato croquettes, or the homey Napolitan gattò di patate when combined with ham and mozzarella.
Compared to white potatoes, russet potatoes often have a bigger and more oblong shape. Russets also have harder skin due to their beige-white body color and dark brown (or "russet") skin tone. Russets have edible skin, but it is typically saved for simple potato recipes like skin-on french fries.
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