Spicy Roasted Potatoes with Yogurt Dipping Sauce (Crushed Aleppo Chili)
Aleppo chili adds a mild layer of heat and lightly fruity taste to chunks of roasted russet potatoes, which are also seasoned with spicy harissa and nutty sesame seeds. To counter their bold flavor, the potatoes are dipped into a cooling sauce of tangy yogurt enhanced with lemon juice and fresh mint.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 2 Tbs. prepared harissa
- 1 tsp. crushed Aleppo chili
- 1 Tbs. sesame seeds
- 1 tsp. sea salt, plus more, to taste
- 3 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 cup plain Greek-style yogurt
- Leaves from 1/2 bunch fresh mint, cut into thin ribbons
- 1/2 lemon
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions
Preheat an oven to 425°F. Drizzle the oil into the bottom of a roasting pan and place the pan in the oven as it preheats.
In a large bowl, combine the harissa, Aleppo chili, sesame seeds and the 1 tsp. salt. Add the potatoes and stir to coat well.
When the roasting pan is hot, remove it from the oven and carefully add the potatoes, stirring gently to coat them with the oil. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer in the pan. Roast until the undersides are nicely browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Using a metal spatula, flip the potatoes over and roast until they are tender inside and browned and crisp outside, about 15 minutes more.
Meanwhile, put the yogurt in a small bowl and fold in the mint. Squeeze the juice from the lemon half into the yogurt and stir well. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.
Transfer the roasted potatoes to a warmed platter and serve immediately with the yogurt sauce for dipping. Serves 4.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma New Flavors for Vegetables, by Jodi Liano (Oxmoor House, 2008).