By Late September and I have written the potato pancake recipe properly for the first time in my life — not the version I have been posting on the blog, which is approximate, but the real version, the one in my hands and Babcia Rose hands, with actual measurements that I derived by making them while measuring things I have previously only done by feel. Three pounds potatoes, grated on the large holes, squeezed very dry. One egg. Two tablespoons flour. Salt and pepper. Very hot cast iron. That is the whole thing and it took me thirty-one years of eating them and six years of making them to write it down accurately.
Babcia Rose reviewed my potato pancake documentation over the phone. She said the flour measurement was wrong. I said I had measured it. She said I had measured it wrong. I said I had measured it three times. She said the measurement was wrong and the pancakes knew it. I said the pancakes were fine. She said they would be better with less flour. I made them again with less flour. She was right. I updated the recipe. I called to tell her. She said good. She said she would have told me years ago if I had asked. I said I had not asked. She said: now you know to ask.
Ryan has been on a modified schedule arrangement with the firehouse so he is home most nights in October and November in anticipation of the November birth. He made this arrangement himself, without discussing it with me first, and when I found out I said you did not have to do that. He said he wanted to be home. I said I know. He said it was not a sacrifice. I said I know. He said: stop trying to give the thing back. I said: okay. I am keeping it. The thing he arranged, the coming home. I am keeping it.
After spending the better part of October getting the potato recipe right—measuring, re-measuring, and ultimately deferring to Babcia Rose on the flour—I kept finding myself reaching for potatoes in other forms too, as if I was working something out. These rosemary roasted potatoes came together on one of the nights Ryan was home early under his new arrangement, and there is something fitting about a recipe this unfussy: hot pan, good oil, a handful of rosemary, and the patience to leave things alone until they’re done. Babcia Rose would approve of the simplicity. Ryan ate two helpings without saying anything, which is its own kind of answer.
Rosemary Roasted Potatoes and Asparagus
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs baby or Yukon Gold potatoes, halved
- 1 bunch asparagus (about 1 lb), tough ends trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped (or 3/4 teaspoon dried)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Optional: flaky sea salt for finishing
Instructions
- Preheat. Heat oven to 425°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment or leave it bare—bare gives you a better crust.
- Season the potatoes. Toss halved potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, the rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. Spread in a single layer cut-side down on the baking sheet. Do not crowd them.
- Roast the potatoes first. Roast for 20 minutes without disturbing, until the cut sides are golden and beginning to crisp.
- Add the asparagus. Push potatoes to the edges of the pan. Add asparagus to the center, drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Toss gently to coat.
- Finish roasting. Return pan to oven and roast an additional 10—12 minutes, until asparagus is tender with slightly charred tips and potatoes are cooked through.
- Serve. Transfer to a platter. Finish with a pinch of flaky salt if you have it. Serve immediately.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 210 | Protein: 5g | Fat: 10g | Carbs: 27g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 310mg