Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Recipe courtesy of NJMandy

Ingredients:

• 4 lb. small Yukon Gold potatoes, skins on and left whole
• Salt, to taste, plus 1 Tbs.
• 4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups half-and-half, warmed
• 1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
• 3 Tbs. roasted garlic paste
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Put the potatoes in a large pot and add water to cover the potatoes by 2 inches. Generously salt the water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Drain well in a colander.

Set a potato ricer over a large bowl and pass the potatoes through in batches. Add the butter, 1 1/4 cups of the half-and-half and the sour cream and stir until smooth, adding more half-and-half until the desired consistency is reached. Stir in the garlic paste, the 1 Tbs. salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl and serve immediately. Serves 10 to 12.

Note: Potatoes boiled whole in their skins absorb less water and produce lighter, fluffier mashed potatoes.