Name: Bagna Cauda Potatoes
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: ItalianEurope
Ingredients: 2 pounds red potatoes, unpeeled, sliced ½ inch thick; Table salt for cooking potatoes; ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1 (2-ounce) can anchovies, drained and minced; 3 tablespoons minced garlic (about 9 cloves); 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1 teaspoon pepper; 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives

Why This Recipe Works

For this twist on a classic dish from the Piedmont area in Italy, we dressed tender red potatoes in bagna cauda, a mixture of anchovies, garlic, and olive oil that's traditionally served as a communal dip. Though Piedmont is landlocked, traders would hide their taxable salt under nontaxable anchovies on journeys from Liguria, and as a result, anchovies became a staple food in Piedmont.

Before You Begin

For the best results, use a high-quality extra-virgin olive oil. One 2-ounce can of anchovies usually contains about 11 anchovies. This may seem like a lot of anchovies, but their flavor mellows as they cook.

Instructions

Place potatoes and 1 tablespoon salt in large saucepan, add water to cover by 1 inch, and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook until potatoes are fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain potatoes and transfer to large bowl; set aside.

Add oil, anchovies, and garlic to now-empty saucepan and cook over medium heat until garlic is fragrant, about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Immediately add oil mixture, lemon juice, and pepper to bowl with potatoes. Toss to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes. Transfer potatoes to serving platter. Spoon any remaining oil mixture in bowl over top. Sprinkle with chives and serve.