Super easy, crispy outside, creamy inside and good to eat as-is or with a sparing amount of sauce on top. I did about 5 pounds of reds when I made these.
Be careful not to burn. Mine weren't black the first time, but too done to be sure. I made these again and ensured that didn't happen. This is the fastest potato dish I've ever made in terms of how long I had to fuss with them. Obviously, they do take up time in the oven, but, armed with a timer, you can safely ignore them as you busy yourself with other things. I heard them called this by name in an article outlining how to do them, but I didn't use elephant garlic (a mild, huge garlic one doesn't see often around here). When cooking for Julene, I only use trace amounts of garlic anyway since she found out that she's technically allergic to garlic.
Unless you over-roast, your sheet pan should not discolor or burn and clean-up will be easy.
| — | small red or Yukon gold potatoes |
| teaspoon | baking soda |
| — | olive oil |
| — | minced garlic |
| — | butter (optional) |
| — | salt |
| — | pepper |
| — | parsley |
1. Cut up potatoes into ¾" dice. Bring enough water in a pot to boil to cover the potatoes and add salt (as if cooking pasta) and baking soda.
2. In the meantime, preheat oven to 425°, mince and microwave garlic in olive oil for 15-30 seconds.
3. When al dente (tender, but not excessively), use a spider to remove from pot to sheet pan lubricated with olive oil. Be sloppy about it allowing small amounts of water to drip onto backing pan. Spread out the potatoes, then anoint with the remaining garlic-infused olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Put sheet pan in oven; set timer for 15-20 minutes.
5. When timer expires, toss potatoes with spatula, return to oven for 15-20 minutes with butter if you like.
6. Serve garnished with parsley if you like.
The amount of time in the oven depends on how much potato you choose to serve, but be attentive not to burn them. If using butter, there is risk to burning it in the oven, so add it late.
The baking soda is the key to modifying the starch so that it crisps up on the outside. (Okay, the olive oil too, but you were wondering about the baking soda.) Russets tend to be less satisfying in this recipe as compared to waxy potatoes. If you prepare more than 5 lbs of potatoes, increase the baking soda.