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A man with a skillet of Portuguese punched potatoes, caramelized onions, cheese, called batatas a murro in Portuguese
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4.84 / 6 votes

Punched Potatoes | Batatas a Murro

These Portuguese punched potatoes (called batatas a murro in Portuguese), are essentially crisp-skinned, creamy smashed potatoes smothered in caramelized onions and melted cheese. Sharing optional.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 40 minutes
Course: Sides
Cuisine: Portuguese
Servings: 4
Calories: 244

Ingredients

  • 14 ounces potatoes, such as Yukon gold or similar, skin on
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • sea salt
  • ground white pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced (about 11 oz)
  • Sherry vinegar
  • 2 ounces queijo da Serra, or Taleggio, Gruyère, or another full-flavored melting cheese, broken into small pieces, or more to taste
  • freshly cracked black pepper
US - Metric

Instructions

  • Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil, add the 14 ounces potatoes, and cook until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly.
  • Crank the oven to 425°F (220°C).
  • Let the potatoes cool for about 10 minutes and then lightly smash them with your fist or the bottom of a skillet.
  • Place them in an ovenproof dish with the 2 garlic cloves and 1 bay leaf, drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, and gently turn to ensure they’re thoroughly coated. Season with sea salt and ground white pepper and bake until golden brown and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in a skillet over low heat, warm the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and then add the 1 onion and season with salt and white pepper. Cook gently until very soft and translucent, about 20 minutes. Try squeezing a piece of onion; it should be very soft and taste sweet.

    ☞ TESTER TIP: To speed things along, you can cover the onions with a cartouche: fold a square of parchment paper into a thin triangle, trim the tip so the unfolded length is just a bit longer than the radius of your pan, then unfold, crumple, and dampen it with water before laying it directly on top of the onions and covering with a lid.

  • Increase the heat and let the onions caramelize and turn golden brown, stirring to stop them from sticking, about 5 minutes more. Remove the cartouche, if using, and set aside. Add a splash of Sherry vinegar for a little bit of acidity that cuts through the cheese.
  • Take the potatoes out of the oven and scatter the onions and spoon or scatter the 2 ounces queijo da Serra on top. Return the dish to the oven and cook until golden brown and bubbling, 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and serve right away, sprinkled with a little freshly cracked black pepper. Serve pronto!

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 244kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 249mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g