Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into evenly sized chunks so they cook at the same rate and you avoid mushy edges with an underdone center.
- Place the potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water by about 2 inches, and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, just until fork-tender. Avoid boiling them to the point of falling apart, as waterlogged potatoes make a thin, gluey skordalia rather than a fluffy one.
- While the potatoes cook, crush the garlic cloves with 1 teaspoon of coarse salt using a mortar and pestle, or a garlic press followed by a few passes with the flat of a knife, until you have a smooth paste. The salt helps break down the garlic's fibers and softens its raw bite slightly.
- Reserve about ½ cup of the potato cooking water, then drain the potatoes well.
- While the potatoes are still hot, pass them through a ricer or mash thoroughly with a fork or potato masher. Working while they're warm is essential — hot potatoes absorb the oil smoothly, while cooled potatoes tend to seize up and turn gummy.
- Stir the garlic paste into the warm mashed potatoes along with a splash of the vinegar. If using ground almonds or walnuts, fold them in now for extra richness and the traditional slightly nubby texture.
- Begin whisking in the olive oil a little at a time, the same way you would build an aioli or mayonnaise, alternating with small additions of vinegar, lemon juice, and reserved potato water. Keep whisking constantly so the fat emulsifies into the potato rather than pooling on top.
- Continue until the mixture is thick, glossy, and holds together but is still spreadable — it should fall from a spoon in a slow ribbon, not sit stiff like plain mashed potatoes.
- Taste and adjust the balance: more vinegar or lemon for brightness, more garlic for punch, more salt if it tastes flat. Skordalia should taste assertively garlicky and tangy, with the olive oil rounding everything out rather than dominating.
- If the dip is too thick, loosen it with a bit more reserved potato water; if it's too loose, beat in a little extra mashed potato.
- Let the skordalia sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes, or refrigerate, before serving — the raw garlic mellows and the flavors knit together as it rests. Serve drizzled with olive oil and a scatter of parsley, alongside fried bakaliaros, roasted beets, fried vegetables, or warm bread.
Tips for Success
- Choose starchy potatoes like Yukon Gold or russet rather than waxy varieties, which turn gluey once mashed and mixed with oil.
- Never process potatoes in a food processor or blender — the mechanical action breaks down their starch too aggressively and turns them into wallpaper paste. Hand-mash or use a ricer instead; a blender is fine only for the bread-based version.
- Skordalia tastes noticeably better the next day, once the raw garlic has had time to mellow and blend with the oil and vinegar, so it's an excellent make-ahead dish for a big meal.
- For a gentler garlic flavor without losing the dish's character, briefly blanch the peeled cloves in milk or water before crushing them into a paste.
- For the older bread-based version popular with Greeks from Constantinople, soak stale bread in water, squeeze it thoroughly dry, and blend it with garlic, walnuts, vinegar, and olive oil for a lighter, tangier dip with a different but equally traditional texture.