Contrary to what many people think, there is actually a difference between aioli and garlic mayonnaise. Traditionally, aioli is a sauce made from olive oil emulsified (often using a pestle and mortar) with mashed garlic and a pinch of salt (e.g. no egg yolks or acid like lemon juice or vinegar). You don’t see this version very often nowadays as it is time-consuming to make, rather temperamental and prone to splitting (resulting in a greasy sauce which nobody wants). More modern versions take aioli to mean a garlic-infused mayonnaise - think of it as a ‘cheat’s aioli’. Some recipes use crushed garlic, but I love the sweet, mellow flavour of roasted which is what I have used to make my garlic aioli.

What can I serve with leftover aioli?

I don't have this problem very often as I tend to find every last morsel of the aioli disappears! However, if you do have any leftover, it is delicious as a dip for crisps, vegetable crudités and onion rings - or cheesy things like breaded mozzarella or halloumi fries. You can pretty much serve it like you would regular mayonnaise - so inside a sandwich, with steak or burgers. It is also super tasty with fish and chips in place of tartare sauce too (or with my Tempura Cod Goujons ) - or with other deep-fried fish bites like my Panko Shrimp .

Can I make these Cheesy Smashed Potatoes suitable for vegetarians and vegans?

Yes! This is one of those dishes that is rather effortless to adapt for vegetarians and vegans. For vegetarians, simply swap the Parmesan for a vegetarian alternative like Gran Moravia . For vegans, I haven’t quite had success in making a homemade vegan mayonnaise, so I would use a good-quality shop-bought alternative with the added roasted garlic. Then all you would need to do is use a vegan alternative to Parmesan.

What can I do with the leftover egg whites?

I know some people get stressed when recipes have leftover egg whites - but I love it as it gives me an excuse to whip up something else delicious! You can whip up a pavlova, make individual meringue nests or dainty meringue kisses (these are perfect popped into little cellophane bags and given as gifts). Alternatively, why not make a showstopping cake decorated with Swiss meringue buttercream (my White Chocolate and Raspberry Cake is delicious!). Speaking of chocolatey recipes, having leftover egg whites is the sign you need to make my super easy, and utterly divine Classic French Chocolate Mousse (be warned - it is addictive!). If you fancy a challenge, you could try your hand at making homemade macarons (I find the Italian method the most reliable) - perhaps even sandwiched with my Pistachio Cream ?

Cheesy Smashed Potatoes with Parmesan, Garlic and Homemade Aioli

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Imagine crunchy, salty, roasted cheesy smashed potatoes, topped with crispy melted Parmesan, dipped into a creamy, garlicky aioli - the ultimate tapas dish.

Author: Margie
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 60 minutes
Yield: 4 1x
Category: Side Dishes
Method: Oven Bake
Cuisine: Global
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

For the potatoes:

750g baby potatoes
4 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
25g Parmesan, grated

For the aioli:

1 bulb of garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt, to taste
2 large egg yolks
250ml groundnut oil
Juice of ½ lemon, or to taste

To serve:

Freshly snipped chives

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200C Fan.
Tip the potatoes onto a large baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss well and roast for 40 minutes, turning halfway through, or until golden, crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.
Meanwhile, place the garlic bulb in tin foil, drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt. Wrap up the foil and place in the oven for about 30-40 minutes - or until the cloves are tender.
Using a small glass press the potatoes to flatten them (don’t worry if they break up a little, those bits will crisp up!)
Sprinkle over the Parmesan and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes - or until the Parmesan has melted, crisped up and turned golden.
Meanwhile, make the aioli: place the egg yolks in a medium-sized bowl and sprinkle with sea salt. Begin to whisk whilst very slowly drizzling in the oil (whilst whisking all the time) - it should start emulsifying straight away. Once you have added half the oil, add the lemon juice, then continue to slowly whisk in the remaining oil.
Squeeze the roasted garlic from its skin and whisk through the mixture. Taste and add more lemon and salt, if needed.
Once the potatoes are done, tip into a bowl, sprinkle over some chopped chives and serve with the aioli.

Notes

Make it vegetarian - these Crispy Potatoes with Homemade Aioli are super easy to adapt for vegetarians, simply swap the Parmesan for a vegetarian alternative like Gran Moravia.

Make it vegan-friendly - you can make this recipe vegan-friendly by using a vegan alternative to Parmesan and using a vegan mayonnaise as the base for the aioli.

Egg yolks - this recipe uses uncooked egg yolks so it is best to avoid serving homemade mayonnaise to vulnerable groups or those with a compromised immune system (e.g. the elderly, pregnant women or young children). I would opt for a good-quality shop-bought mayonnaise, then mix in the roasted garlic.

Find it online: https://desertislanddishes.co/cheesy-smashed-potatoes/