The Ultimate Crash Hot Potatoes with Gorgonzola: A Crispy, Creamy, Cheesy Delight

Gaze upon those golden-brown beauties! These aren’t just any potatoes; these are Crash Hot Potatoes, a culinary sensation made famous by the legendary Pioneer Woman and the brilliant Jill Dupleix. But wait, there’s a delicious twist: they’re generously topped with a blanket of rich, melting Gorgonzola cheese. The mere sight of them is enough to convince me to fire up the oven, even when the thermometer screams 90-plus degrees with stifling humidity. I speak from experience – I did exactly that yesterday, and I’m enthusiastically preparing them again tonight.

For someone who genuinely believes they’re allergic to heat and humidity, choosing to voluntarily bake during a summer scorcher speaks volumes about the extraordinary allure of this dish. These aren’t just good; they are *transcendent*. And like all truly great recipes, these Gorgonzola Crash Hot Potatoes come with a story – a journey of culinary discovery, blogging adventures, and unexpected friendships.

My Humble Beginnings in the Blogosphere: A Delicious Discovery

Rewind to July 2008. I was, to put it mildly, a blogging novice. Not only was I taking my first tentative steps into the world of writing and publishing a blog, but my experience as a reader of blogs was equally nascent. Not just food blogs, mind you, but blogs across the spectrum. You might say I’m a bit of a late bloomer when it comes to trends – a trait I often playfully attribute to my children, whose captivating presence always served as a delightful distraction from the digital world.

But we were discussing the potatoes, weren’t we? My entry into the vast blogosphere led me to a delightful corner of the internet: Evil Chef Mom. Her writing was hilariously witty, her photography utterly captivating, and the fact that she was a mother of four resonated deeply with my own life. I felt an immediate connection, as if I’d stumbled upon a kindred spirit whose content I would eagerly devour regularly. It was on her site that I first encountered the legendary Crash Hot Potatoes, attributed to The Pioneer Woman. Naturally, I clicked the link.

And here’s where my story takes a charmingly thick-headed turn. Upon landing on The Pioneer Woman’s site, I genuinely believed I was still navigating a dedicated section of Evil Chef Mom’s blog. Perhaps “The Pioneer Woman” was a special feature, an in-depth exploration of Crash Hot Potatoes and honeymoons in Australia? My confusion deepened when I clicked on another post on PW’s site, only to find it discussing her four children – two boys, two girls. Could there truly be two women, in two different corners of the internet, both with four children in the exact same boy-girl configuration? The thought didn’t even register. It took a later re-reading of Evil Chef Mom’s original post for the realization to dawn: these were two distinct individuals, two remarkable women with two unique sets of four children, and two separate, wonderful websites. My head met my desk in a moment of comedic self-awareness. But the embarrassment quickly faded, overshadowed by the sheer deliciousness of those potatoes.

They were, indeed, so. Very. Good.

From Digital Connections to Real-Life Friendships

Life, in its serendipitous way, often brings people together in the most unexpected fashions. Krysta, the brilliant mind behind Evil Chef Mom, has since blossomed into one of my dearest friends. And in a testament to the beautiful connections forged through blogging, Krysta recently helped me prepare for a memorable weekend gathering with Ree Drummond herself, the real human behind The Pioneer Woman. Ree, it turns out, is every bit as lovely and gracious in person as her online persona suggests. Sometimes, the universe orchestrates these encounters in ways that make my “feeble mind” simply giggle with delight.

My initial confusion between two distinct writers and photographers, and my subsequent giggling over such coincidences, might not paint me as the sharpest tool in the shed, but hey, it’s all part of the journey!

Elevating the Classic: A Gorgonzola Twist

Not long after my return from the beautiful Ranch, Krysta revealed she had taken the concept of Crash Hot Potatoes to an entirely new dimension. Her innovative approach involved boiling the potatoes, smashing them, coating them generously with olive oil, seasoning them with salt and pepper, and then, the pièce de résistance – topping them with crumbled blue cheese and broiling them until golden. “Hubba hubba” was the immediate phrase that sprang to mind. The thought of that crispy exterior meeting creamy interior, all topped with gooey, savory blue cheese, was irresistible.

Krysta, being the truly generous friend she is, gave me her enthusiastic blessing to share this elevated version – indeed, she almost insisted – before she even had a chance to post it herself. For those new to the blogging world, as I was in 2008, let me assure you: this is a monumental sacrifice of content, a true mark of friendship. Inspired by her genius, I combined Krysta’s brilliant blue cheese topping idea with my personal favorite salt potatoes and the original Crash Hot roasting method. The result is a side dish so undeniably delicious that, as I mentioned, it makes you willingly brave the summer heat and crank up the oven on even the doggiest of dog days.

The Irresistible Allure of Gorgonzola Crash Hot Potatoes

Imagine this: a potato with a “terminally crisp” exterior, as Jill Dupleix so eloquently describes it, giving way to a wonderfully creamy, fluffy interior. Now, picture that potato adorned with melted, fragrant Gorgonzola cheese, sporting just the teensiest, most appealing hint of toasty, golden-brown color on top. The aroma alone is enough to draw anyone into the kitchen.

My nine-year-old, a discerning connoisseur of all things “meat-and-potatoes,” wandered in one evening to survey the dinner landscape. “What are *those*?” he inquired, his eyes widening. “Those,” I responded, “are Crash Hot Potatoes topped with Gorgonzola cheese.” His reaction was instantaneous and enthusiastic: a pumped fist, a firm “BOOYAH!”, and a swift dash for a plate. He even bypassed the accompanying grilled chicken, a testament to his dedication to saving precious tummy space for these irresistible potatoes. I know I’ve iterated it multiple times, but they truly are *that* good.

So, a heartfelt thank you to Krysta, Ree, and Jill. Your collective genius and inspiration have given us a dish that is destined to be a cherished fixture on our family table for countless years to come. These Gorgonzola Crash Hot Potatoes are more than just a recipe; they are a celebration of flavor, friendship, and the joy of home cooking.

P.S. If you even *think* about discarding those little melted, crisped bits of Gorgonzola cheese, be warned: I will come find you and politely (or perhaps not so politely) kick your knees. Those golden, caramelized morsels are culinary gold and absolutely not to be wasted. If their pure intensity is too much for you straight off the pan, toss them onto a salad like gourmet croutons. Seriously. If you value your knees, eat those glorious bits!

Crash Hot Potatoes with Gorgonzola

By Rebecca Lindamood

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Terminally crisp exterior, creamy potatoey interior, topped with melted, fragrant Gorgonzola cheese with just the teensiest bit of toasty color on top.

Ingredients

• 1 batch leftover salt potatoes *See notes if you don’t have leftover salt potatoes, warmed slightly
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary, slightly crumbled between fingers.
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Crumbled Gorgonzola cheese to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C).
2. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil evenly over a rimmed baking sheet.
3. Scatter potatoes on the olive oil and use a potato masher or heavy mug to gently smash each potato until it is about two times as large in diameter as it was when you began.
4. Drizzle the remaining 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil evenly over the smashed potatoes.
5. Toss the rosemary evenly over the potatoes and grind black pepper over them to taste.
6. Pop the pan into the oven and roast until the potatoes are sizzling, beautifully browned on the bottom, and golden on top, about 20-25 minutes.
7. Remove the pan from the oven and turn the broiler to High.
8. Place the Gorgonzola crumbles on top of the potatoes, adjusting the amount to your personal preference for blue cheese intensity.
9. Return the pan to the oven and broil until the cheese melts and develops a few little golden-brown, toasty bits. Watch carefully to prevent burning!
10. Remove the pan from the oven and let the potatoes rest for 3 minutes before serving to allow the cheese to set slightly.

Notes

If you don’t have leftover salt potatoes (either because you devoured the entire batch – good for you! – or you haven’t made them yet – what are you waiting for?), you can still create this magnificent dish. Use the following method:

Toss 16 new, small, unpeeled potatoes into a pot of heavily salted boiling water. Return to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until they are easily pierced with a skewer or butter knife. Drain thoroughly and then proceed with step 2 of the instructions!

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Make sure to tag @foodiewithfam on Instagram and #hashtag it #foodiewithfamily so I can check it out!

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