I learned this summer that the key to really good roasted potatoes is to first cook them on a skillet and then transfer them to the oven. While I'd like to say that I learned that from a 90-year-old chef in a Tuscan village somewhere, I really learned it from a guy at the deli counter at Whole Foods. Basically the same thing.
These potatoes are the perfect side dish for almost any main course. They're starchy enough without weighing you down. They're also phenomenal the next morning smothered in ketchup.
Ingredients (makes about 4-6 servings):
- 1 lb. little baby potatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 dashes paprika
- 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Tools:
- Oven
- Oven-safe skillet
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Clean the baby potatoes then cut them into halves. Aren't they so cute?!
- Heat the olive oil in your skillet. Add the potatoes and coat them in the olive oil. Don't worry, they don't need be tooootally coated. Let them crisp on one side.
- Turn the potatoes over and let them crisp on the other side.
- Once the potatoes have browned nicely, scoop them over to one side of the skillet. On the other side, add the garlic and let it sauté. Then add the Italian seasoning, salt and paprika.
- Combine the potatoes with your herb mixture.
- Turn off the heat and sprinkle the potatoes with the parmesan cheese.
- Put the skillet of potatoes in the oven and let them roast for about 15 minutes.
- Once the potatoes are finished, cut the butter into cubes and scatter them and the parsley all of the potatoes and give them a nice stir.
