Excerpted from Simple Soirées by Peggy Knickerbocker. © 2005, used by permission from Stewart, Tabori & Chang, New York, NY. All rights reserved.

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Bagna Cauda Potatoes

Bagna cauda (literally “warm bath”) is a Piedmontese dip made with anchovies, garlic, and olive oil to serve with assorted trimmed vegetables. Here it is used to coat the boiled potatoes, which are then roasted, yielding rich and savory flavors. The potatoes can be boiled and tossed with the sauce earlier in the day and roasted along with the fish.

24 fingerlings or other potatoes such as red-skinned, or Yellow Finns

For the Bagna Cauda:
3 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 anchovy fillets

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook until tender when pierced with a fork, 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile in a mortar or bowl of a food processor, blend or pulse the butter, olive oil, garlic, and anchovies.

Drain the potatoes and toss with the butter mixture in a bowl. Transfer to a roasting pan and roast for 10 minutes. Shake the pan a few times during the roasting period.

Serves 6
(Makes about 1/2 cup bagna cauda)