Place your potatoes in a large pot, covered with cold well-salted water. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat, and simmer gently for about 15 minutes; until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Once cooked, reserve a cup of the potato water and drain the potatoes.

Slightly smash the potatoes with the back of a large spoon, and return them to the pot, add the butter and half a teaspoon of salt. Stir to make sure the potatoes are covered with the butter then begin to add a few tablespoons of the reserved cooking water to add moisture to the potatoes and create a buttery sauce to coat them. Taste for seasoning and stir the parsley.

Place the potatoes into a serving bowl, and top with the crème fraîche, chives, and cracked black pepper.