Use unflavored boxed potato flakes such as Idaho spuds. They don't taste like potatoes, they taste like nothing- this is why they are the perfect vehicle for eating absurd amounts of good quality olive oil.
~14oz box of potato flakes
1x bottle good olive oil (I use Berkeley Bowl extra virgin organic)
2 tablespoons diamond crystal kosher salt
OPTIONAL: 2 tablespoons toasted oregano
Boil about half gallon of water. Mix 4 cups water with the salt and add to the entire package of potato flakes. Mix it together- it should make a kind of crumbly paste. Mix in about 2 cups of olive oil or until the potatoes taste as much like olive oil as you feel comfortable (I will sometimes put in 90% of a bottle). If it still looks lumpy, add more boiling water a little at a time until the consistency is satisfactory- probably about an additional 2 cups depending on how much olive oil you did or did not use. Adjust seasoning with more salt.
If using the oregano, toast it in a dry skillet and add immediately to the potatoes. I usually only do this if I am short on olive oil and need more flavor (i.e. it's too expensive to buy as much olive oil as I want)
Put an oven rack at the top and preheat the broiler.
Line a halfsheet pan with aluminum foil. Spread the mashed potato mixture into the pan. Use a fork to create troughs and valleys to expose more surface area (this is so it develops a crispier texture). Drizzle the whole thing with more olive oil. Broil until the whole thing is golden brown at the peaks. You may have to adjust your oven rack height or broiler temperature if the peaks burn before the rest of the potatoes get golden. If broiling doesn't seem to be working for you, you can put in a 500F oven until it looks delicious (dark brown peaks, golden brown surface, sizzling and delicious looking). To serve, sprinkle finely minced Italian parsley over the thing and drizzle with yet more olive oil.
Another name for this dish could be "stupid big pile of olive oil." Yes, it's not that cheap.
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