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Could someone with access please post the NYTimes recipe for Best Roast Potatoes. Thank you.
- Thread starter marilynfl
- Start date
Here you go. It caught my eye this morning also. I have done something similare
with microwaved potato wedges to cook them but not that much parm.
SAVE
Ingredients
Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon (4g) baking soda
4 pounds (about 2kg) russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters, sixths, or eighths, depending on size (see note)
5 tablespoons (75ml) extra-virgin olive oil, duck fat, goose fat, or beef fat
Small handful picked rosemary leaves, finely chopped
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
Small handful fresh parsley leaves, minced
Directions
1.
Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 450°F/230°C (or 400°F/200°C if using convection). Heat 2 quarts (2L) water in a large pot over high heat until boiling. Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt (about 1 ounce; 25g), baking soda, and potatoes and stir. Return to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until a knife meets little resistance when inserted into a potato chunk, about 10 minutes after returning to a boil.
2.
Meanwhile, combine olive oil, duck fat, or beef fat with rosemary, garlic, and a few grinds of black pepper in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. Cook, stirring and shaking pan constantly, until garlic just begins to turn golden, about 3 minutes. Immediately strain oil through a fine-mesh strainer set in a large bowl. Set garlic/rosemary mixture aside and reserve separately.
3.
When potatoes are cooked, drain carefully and let them rest in the pot for about 30 seconds to allow excess moisture to evaporate. Transfer to bowl with infused oil, season to taste with a little more salt and pepper, and toss to coat, shaking bowl roughly, until a thick layer of mashed potato–like paste has built up on the potato chunks.
4.
Transfer potatoes to a large rimmed baking sheet and separate them, spreading them out evenly. Transfer to oven and roast, without moving, for 20 minutes. Using a thin, flexible metal spatula to release any stuck potatoes, shake pan and turn potatoes. Continue roasting until potatoes are deep brown and crisp all over, turning and shaking them a few times during cooking, 30 to 40 minutes longer.
5.
Transfer potatoes to a large bowl and add garlic/rosemary mixture and minced parsley. Toss to coat and season with more salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
with microwaved potato wedges to cook them but not that much parm.
SAVE
Ingredients
Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon (4g) baking soda
4 pounds (about 2kg) russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters, sixths, or eighths, depending on size (see note)
5 tablespoons (75ml) extra-virgin olive oil, duck fat, goose fat, or beef fat
Small handful picked rosemary leaves, finely chopped
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
Small handful fresh parsley leaves, minced
Directions
1.
Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 450°F/230°C (or 400°F/200°C if using convection). Heat 2 quarts (2L) water in a large pot over high heat until boiling. Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt (about 1 ounce; 25g), baking soda, and potatoes and stir. Return to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until a knife meets little resistance when inserted into a potato chunk, about 10 minutes after returning to a boil.
2.
Meanwhile, combine olive oil, duck fat, or beef fat with rosemary, garlic, and a few grinds of black pepper in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. Cook, stirring and shaking pan constantly, until garlic just begins to turn golden, about 3 minutes. Immediately strain oil through a fine-mesh strainer set in a large bowl. Set garlic/rosemary mixture aside and reserve separately.
3.
When potatoes are cooked, drain carefully and let them rest in the pot for about 30 seconds to allow excess moisture to evaporate. Transfer to bowl with infused oil, season to taste with a little more salt and pepper, and toss to coat, shaking bowl roughly, until a thick layer of mashed potato–like paste has built up on the potato chunks.
4.
Transfer potatoes to a large rimmed baking sheet and separate them, spreading them out evenly. Transfer to oven and roast, without moving, for 20 minutes. Using a thin, flexible metal spatula to release any stuck potatoes, shake pan and turn potatoes. Continue roasting until potatoes are deep brown and crisp all over, turning and shaking them a few times during cooking, 30 to 40 minutes longer.
5.
Transfer potatoes to a large bowl and add garlic/rosemary mixture and minced parsley. Toss to coat and season with more salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
richard-in-cincy
Well-known member
This is my gold standard for the classic British Roasted Potato
https://finerkitchens.com/swap/forum/index.php?action=display&forumid=1&msgid=264339
https://finerkitchens.com/swap/forum/index.php?action=display&forumid=1&msgid=264339
Cannot Access Recipe....must be member found it on
https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/12/the-best-roast-potatoes-ever-recipe.html
https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/12/the-best-roast-potatoes-ever-recipe.html
https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/12/the-best-roast-potatoes-ever-recipe.html
https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/12/the-best-roast-potatoes-ever-recipe.html
I posted the text below, just in case it's not the same. Looks so good I want to break the bank &
get a roast again.
osted to Thread #30507 at 12:22 pm on Sep 22, 2018
As most everyone knows, I never met a potato in any form that I didn't like. This method elevates the spud to, dare I say it, a higher realm than Julia Childs Pommes de Terre Sautees which I have long held as the gold standard of spud cuisine.
It's like you have a plate of the most perfect crinkle cut french fries at your favorite diner: crust is golden brown and crispy, they are are screaming hot, and the inside is like mashed potatoes.
That is this in a whole potato form.
I started this cooking tantrum with lots of beef bones, trimmings, and stew meat from the market, simmered for two days. This was the stock that went into the spareribs.
Peel 2 to 2.5 inch diameter red potatoes. Rinse them off and drop them into simmering beef broth for 8 minutes.
Scoop the whole potatoes out of the broth into a colander. Sprinkle with flour and toss about to slightly rough up the surface and coat evenly with flour.
Meanwhile, in the 400F oven, you have a rimmed baking sheet with 1/3-1/2 cup duck or goose fat searing hot.
With tongs, place the parboiled and floured potatoes in the fat, rolling them around to coat and spacing them far enough apart so they can brown nicely. Using tongs, turn them and roll them around half way through the roasting, which takes about 30 minutes.
When finished, you have little orbs of crispy browned potato crunch filled with a center of soft mashed potato-like yummieness.
get a roast again.
osted to Thread #30507 at 12:22 pm on Sep 22, 2018
As most everyone knows, I never met a potato in any form that I didn't like. This method elevates the spud to, dare I say it, a higher realm than Julia Childs Pommes de Terre Sautees which I have long held as the gold standard of spud cuisine.
It's like you have a plate of the most perfect crinkle cut french fries at your favorite diner: crust is golden brown and crispy, they are are screaming hot, and the inside is like mashed potatoes.
That is this in a whole potato form.
I started this cooking tantrum with lots of beef bones, trimmings, and stew meat from the market, simmered for two days. This was the stock that went into the spareribs.
Peel 2 to 2.5 inch diameter red potatoes. Rinse them off and drop them into simmering beef broth for 8 minutes.
Scoop the whole potatoes out of the broth into a colander. Sprinkle with flour and toss about to slightly rough up the surface and coat evenly with flour.
Meanwhile, in the 400F oven, you have a rimmed baking sheet with 1/3-1/2 cup duck or goose fat searing hot.
With tongs, place the parboiled and floured potatoes in the fat, rolling them around to coat and spacing them far enough apart so they can brown nicely. Using tongs, turn them and roll them around half way through the roasting, which takes about 30 minutes.
When finished, you have little orbs of crispy browned potato crunch filled with a center of soft mashed potato-like yummieness.
mariadnoca
Moderator
Did you want this one or the parm ones?
https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/12/the-best-roast-potatoes-ever-recipe.html
https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/12/the-best-roast-potatoes-ever-recipe.html
mariadnoca
Moderator
It
mariadnoca
Moderator
Rec: Extra-Crispy Parmesan-Crusted Roasted Potatoes
Extra-Crispy Parmesan-Crusted Roasted Potatoes
J. KENJI LÓPEZ-ALT
YIELD 4 to 6 servings
TIME About 1 hour
Extra-Crispy Parmesan-Crusted Roasted Potatoes
These potatoes combine the fluffy interior and crispy exterior of the best roasted potatoes with the crunchy cheese crust of Detroit-style pizza. The initial boil with aromatics adds herbal flavor to the potatoes, without the potential of burned herbs in the final roast, while baking soda in the water helps soften the surface of the potato, releasing starch. This starch combines with Parmesan and melted butter to form a flavorful slurry that crisps up and coats each potato chunk in a cheesy shell.
Featured in: The Best Roast Potatoes Manage To Get Even Better. NYT
INGREDIENTS
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2- to 2-inch chunks
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons kosher salt, or 1 tablespoon table salt
4 dried bay leaves, preferably Turkish
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
6 whole garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed
3 to 4 thyme or rosemary sprigs, or a mix
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 ounces finely grated Parmesan (about 1 cup)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
PREPARATION
Adjust oven rack to center position and heat to 425 degrees, or 400 degrees if using convection. (Convection is recommended, if available.) Combine potato chunks, 2 quarts water, baking soda and salt in a large saucepan.
Cut a 10-by-10-inch square out of cheesecloth and place bay leaves, peppercorns, garlic cloves and herb sprigs in the center. Gather up the corners of the cloth into a pouch, and tie off with butcher's twine. Add bundle to the pot with potatoes, and set over high heat. Bring to a boil, and cook until you can poke a knife into a larger chunk of potato without any resistance, about 10 minutes after the water comes to a boil.
Drain potatoes in a colander and discard aromatic bundle. Line a 13-by-18-inch rimmed aluminum baking sheet with parchment paper.
Transfer potatoes to a large bowl. Add melted butter and Parmesan. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Toss and fold with a rubber spatula until Parmesan, butter and starch form a slurry over the surface of the potatoes, about 30 seconds.
Transfer potatoes to the prepared baking sheet and spread out so they are mostly separated from one another. (At this point, they can be allowed to cool, then transferred to a sealed container and stored in the refrigerator until ready to roast.)
Transfer baking sheet to oven and roast potatoes until pale golden brown and sizzling on the bottom, about 20 minutes. Flip potatoes using a thin metal spatula and continue roasting until crisp and blond-gold on most sides, about 15 to 20 minutes longer. (Check frequently toward the end, and don't allow the potatoes to cook beyond a deep gold, or they will turn bitter.)
Remove potatoes from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes on the pan before transferring to a serving platter.
Extra-Crispy Parmesan-Crusted Roasted Potatoes
J. KENJI LÓPEZ-ALT
YIELD 4 to 6 servings
TIME About 1 hour
Extra-Crispy Parmesan-Crusted Roasted Potatoes
These potatoes combine the fluffy interior and crispy exterior of the best roasted potatoes with the crunchy cheese crust of Detroit-style pizza. The initial boil with aromatics adds herbal flavor to the potatoes, without the potential of burned herbs in the final roast, while baking soda in the water helps soften the surface of the potato, releasing starch. This starch combines with Parmesan and melted butter to form a flavorful slurry that crisps up and coats each potato chunk in a cheesy shell.
Featured in: The Best Roast Potatoes Manage To Get Even Better. NYT
INGREDIENTS
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2- to 2-inch chunks
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons kosher salt, or 1 tablespoon table salt
4 dried bay leaves, preferably Turkish
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
6 whole garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed
3 to 4 thyme or rosemary sprigs, or a mix
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 ounces finely grated Parmesan (about 1 cup)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
PREPARATION
Adjust oven rack to center position and heat to 425 degrees, or 400 degrees if using convection. (Convection is recommended, if available.) Combine potato chunks, 2 quarts water, baking soda and salt in a large saucepan.
Cut a 10-by-10-inch square out of cheesecloth and place bay leaves, peppercorns, garlic cloves and herb sprigs in the center. Gather up the corners of the cloth into a pouch, and tie off with butcher's twine. Add bundle to the pot with potatoes, and set over high heat. Bring to a boil, and cook until you can poke a knife into a larger chunk of potato without any resistance, about 10 minutes after the water comes to a boil.
Drain potatoes in a colander and discard aromatic bundle. Line a 13-by-18-inch rimmed aluminum baking sheet with parchment paper.
Transfer potatoes to a large bowl. Add melted butter and Parmesan. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Toss and fold with a rubber spatula until Parmesan, butter and starch form a slurry over the surface of the potatoes, about 30 seconds.
Transfer potatoes to the prepared baking sheet and spread out so they are mostly separated from one another. (At this point, they can be allowed to cool, then transferred to a sealed container and stored in the refrigerator until ready to roast.)
Transfer baking sheet to oven and roast potatoes until pale golden brown and sizzling on the bottom, about 20 minutes. Flip potatoes using a thin metal spatula and continue roasting until crisp and blond-gold on most sides, about 15 to 20 minutes longer. (Check frequently toward the end, and don't allow the potatoes to cook beyond a deep gold, or they will turn bitter.)
Remove potatoes from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes on the pan before transferring to a serving platter.
colleenmomof2
Well-known member
This is Kenji's NYT recipe from your link, Marilyn
that Maria copied. I was able to see in Firefox and copy this image. Colleen
https://static01.nyt.com/images/2019/11/20/dining/18Kenjirex/merlin_164331348_704cd4e2-bb01-46d8-86d1-6f7d3c98a5cc-articleLarge.jpg
that Maria copied. I was able to see in Firefox and copy this image. Colleen
https://static01.nyt.com/images/2019/11/20/dining/18Kenjirex/merlin_164331348_704cd4e2-bb01-46d8-86d1-6f7d3c98a5cc-articleLarge.jpg
Again, thank you all for your help. I wish I could load Foxfire on my computer, but it's old and
is several operating systems behind the mosts recent MacBook OS.
When I've tried to download Firefox, warnings pop up. I'm assuming newer OS versions have mitigated any security issues that my old computer can't fix.
is several operating systems behind the mosts recent MacBook OS.
When I've tried to download Firefox, warnings pop up. I'm assuming newer OS versions have mitigated any security issues that my old computer can't fix.
colleenmomof2
Well-known member
Marilyn, Here's Kenji's article - I don't think it has been copied here
How do you improve on perfect potatoes? J. Kenji López-Alt coats them with Parmesan for a crisp cheese crust.
There are thoughts that roll around inside a professional recipe writer’s head on a seasonal cycle: “How many more words can one write about hamburgers?” “Can we just agree that spatchcocking is the best way to roast a turkey?” “Doesn’t everyone in the world know how to boil an egg by now?”
(The responses, in order: “I have not yet found the limit,” “yes, please,” and “they sure think so.”)
The words rolling around in mine about a month ago: “There are no new ways to roast potatoes.”
Years ago, I developed a recipe for ultracrispy roasted potatoes that uses a classic British approach. First, you boil potatoes in salted water until tender, then you toss them roughly in a bowl with fat (preferably drippings from a roast), causing a starchy slurry to form on the surface. As the potatoes roast, that slurry dries and crisps, forming a craggy crust that gives the potatoes a hefty crunch.
A few years after that, I realized that the phrase “ultracrispy” was relative, and even those potatoes could be improved upon. So I developed a recipe that I modestly called “The Best Crispy Roast Potatoes Ever” for the website Serious Eats. I added a touch of baking soda to the initial boil, raising the pH of the water. This causes pectin — the polysaccharide glue that holds plant cells together — to break down more rapidly. In turn, the surfaces of the potatoes become extra-starchy, which increases crispness significantly.
So where could I go from “best”?
Recently I’ve had pizza on the mind — specifically Detroit-style pizza, and even more specifically the crisp cheese crust that develops around the rim of the blue steel baking tray. If you’ve ever had frico, those crisp discs of fried Parmesan that crunch as you bite into them and dissolve into a wash of nutty, savory flavor on your tongue, you know what I’m talking about.
How great would it be to combine roast potatoes with a crispy cheese crust?
First I tried boiling potatoes (russets for their starchiness) in alkaline water (salted water with 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda added per quart) that I flavored with peppercorns, garlic and herbs (I’ve found that boiling with aromatics is the best way to get flavor that really sticks to potatoes).
Next, I transferred the potatoes to a cast-iron skillet and sprinkled grated cheese along the edges of the pan, just as I would treat the dough in a Detroit pizza. The results were promising, but far from what I was looking for: The cheese formed more of a leathery sheath than a truly crisp crust, while packing the potatoes into the pan reduced the surface area for crusting.
Roasting them spread out on a parchment-lined baking sheet would be the way to go.
After tweaking a bit more, I landed on adding grated Parmesan directly to the bowl as I tossed the hot, parboiled potatoes with melted butter, which complements the flavor of the cheese better than olive oil or animal fat. This lets the Parmesan melt slightly, combining with the starchy slurry and forming an even coating over every potato piece.
The batches I’ve been pulling from the oven recently are spectacular. The cheese crust shatters just like frico, but with a heftier crunch, revealing a fluffy potato interior. The combination of savory crust and moist interior reminds me of seasoned frozen curly fries (the best expression of frozen potatoes), if seasoned frozen curly fries managed to pull off the painfully-sophisticated-yet-casual look.
As for the recipe title, I’m not really sure where I can go from “best,” so enjoy these extra-crispy Parmesan-crusted roasted potatoes.
Until next time, potato. And there will be a next time.
How do you improve on perfect potatoes? J. Kenji López-Alt coats them with Parmesan for a crisp cheese crust.
There are thoughts that roll around inside a professional recipe writer’s head on a seasonal cycle: “How many more words can one write about hamburgers?” “Can we just agree that spatchcocking is the best way to roast a turkey?” “Doesn’t everyone in the world know how to boil an egg by now?”
(The responses, in order: “I have not yet found the limit,” “yes, please,” and “they sure think so.”)
The words rolling around in mine about a month ago: “There are no new ways to roast potatoes.”
Years ago, I developed a recipe for ultracrispy roasted potatoes that uses a classic British approach. First, you boil potatoes in salted water until tender, then you toss them roughly in a bowl with fat (preferably drippings from a roast), causing a starchy slurry to form on the surface. As the potatoes roast, that slurry dries and crisps, forming a craggy crust that gives the potatoes a hefty crunch.
A few years after that, I realized that the phrase “ultracrispy” was relative, and even those potatoes could be improved upon. So I developed a recipe that I modestly called “The Best Crispy Roast Potatoes Ever” for the website Serious Eats. I added a touch of baking soda to the initial boil, raising the pH of the water. This causes pectin — the polysaccharide glue that holds plant cells together — to break down more rapidly. In turn, the surfaces of the potatoes become extra-starchy, which increases crispness significantly.
So where could I go from “best”?
Recently I’ve had pizza on the mind — specifically Detroit-style pizza, and even more specifically the crisp cheese crust that develops around the rim of the blue steel baking tray. If you’ve ever had frico, those crisp discs of fried Parmesan that crunch as you bite into them and dissolve into a wash of nutty, savory flavor on your tongue, you know what I’m talking about.
How great would it be to combine roast potatoes with a crispy cheese crust?
First I tried boiling potatoes (russets for their starchiness) in alkaline water (salted water with 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda added per quart) that I flavored with peppercorns, garlic and herbs (I’ve found that boiling with aromatics is the best way to get flavor that really sticks to potatoes).
Next, I transferred the potatoes to a cast-iron skillet and sprinkled grated cheese along the edges of the pan, just as I would treat the dough in a Detroit pizza. The results were promising, but far from what I was looking for: The cheese formed more of a leathery sheath than a truly crisp crust, while packing the potatoes into the pan reduced the surface area for crusting.
Roasting them spread out on a parchment-lined baking sheet would be the way to go.
After tweaking a bit more, I landed on adding grated Parmesan directly to the bowl as I tossed the hot, parboiled potatoes with melted butter, which complements the flavor of the cheese better than olive oil or animal fat. This lets the Parmesan melt slightly, combining with the starchy slurry and forming an even coating over every potato piece.
The batches I’ve been pulling from the oven recently are spectacular. The cheese crust shatters just like frico, but with a heftier crunch, revealing a fluffy potato interior. The combination of savory crust and moist interior reminds me of seasoned frozen curly fries (the best expression of frozen potatoes), if seasoned frozen curly fries managed to pull off the painfully-sophisticated-yet-casual look.
As for the recipe title, I’m not really sure where I can go from “best,” so enjoy these extra-crispy Parmesan-crusted roasted potatoes.
Until next time, potato. And there will be a next time.
colleenmomof2
Well-known member
Ooops - posted article in wrong place
How do you improve on perfect potatoes? J. Kenji López-Alt coats them with Parmesan for a crisp cheese crust.
Extra-crispy Parmesan-crusted roasted potatoes.
Extra-crispy Parmesan-crusted roasted potatoes.Credit...Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Susan Spungen.
There are thoughts that roll around inside a professional recipe writer’s head on a seasonal cycle: “How many more words can one write about hamburgers?” “Can we just agree that spatchcocking is the best way to roast a turkey?” “Doesn’t everyone in the world know how to boil an egg by now?”
(The responses, in order: “I have not yet found the limit,” “yes, please,” and “they sure think so.”)
The words rolling around in mine about a month ago: “There are no new ways to roast potatoes.”
Years ago, I developed a recipe for ultracrispy roasted potatoes that uses a classic British approach. First, you boil potatoes in salted water until tender, then you toss them roughly in a bowl with fat (preferably drippings from a roast), causing a starchy slurry to form on the surface. As the potatoes roast, that slurry dries and crisps, forming a craggy crust that gives the potatoes a hefty crunch.
A few years after that, I realized that the phrase “ultracrispy” was relative, and even those potatoes could be improved upon. So I developed a recipe that I modestly called “The Best Crispy Roast Potatoes Ever” for the website Serious Eats. I added a touch of baking soda to the initial boil, raising the pH of the water. This causes pectin — the polysaccharide glue that holds plant cells together — to break down more rapidly. In turn, the surfaces of the potatoes become extra-starchy, which increases crispness significantly.
So where could I go from “best”?
Recently I’ve had pizza on the mind — specifically Detroit-style pizza, and even more specifically the crisp cheese crust that develops around the rim of the blue steel baking tray. If you’ve ever had frico, those crisp discs of fried Parmesan that crunch as you bite into them and dissolve into a wash of nutty, savory flavor on your tongue, you know what I’m talking about.
How great would it be to combine roast potatoes with a crispy cheese crust?
First I tried boiling potatoes (russets for their starchiness) in alkaline water (salted water with 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda added per quart) that I flavored with peppercorns, garlic and herbs (I’ve found that boiling with aromatics is the best way to get flavor that really sticks to potatoes).
Next, I transferred the potatoes to a cast-iron skillet and sprinkled grated cheese along the edges of the pan, just as I would treat the dough in a Detroit pizza. The results were promising, but far from what I was looking for: The cheese formed more of a leathery sheath than a truly crisp crust, while packing the potatoes into the pan reduced the surface area for crusting.
Roasting them spread out on a parchment-lined baking sheet would be the way to go.
After tweaking a bit more, I landed on adding grated Parmesan directly to the bowl as I tossed the hot, parboiled potatoes with melted butter, which complements the flavor of the cheese better than olive oil or animal fat. This lets the Parmesan melt slightly, combining with the starchy slurry and forming an even coating over every potato piece.
The batches I’ve been pulling from the oven recently are spectacular. The cheese crust shatters just like frico, but with a heftier crunch, revealing a fluffy potato interior. The combination of savory crust and moist interior reminds me of seasoned frozen curly fries (the best expression of frozen potatoes), if seasoned frozen curly fries managed to pull off the painfully-sophisticated-yet-casual look.
As for the recipe title, I’m not really sure where I can go from “best,” so enjoy these extra-crispy Parmesan-crusted roasted potatoes.
Until next time, potato. And there will be a next time.
How do you improve on perfect potatoes? J. Kenji López-Alt coats them with Parmesan for a crisp cheese crust.
Extra-crispy Parmesan-crusted roasted potatoes.
Extra-crispy Parmesan-crusted roasted potatoes.Credit...Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Susan Spungen.
There are thoughts that roll around inside a professional recipe writer’s head on a seasonal cycle: “How many more words can one write about hamburgers?” “Can we just agree that spatchcocking is the best way to roast a turkey?” “Doesn’t everyone in the world know how to boil an egg by now?”
(The responses, in order: “I have not yet found the limit,” “yes, please,” and “they sure think so.”)
The words rolling around in mine about a month ago: “There are no new ways to roast potatoes.”
Years ago, I developed a recipe for ultracrispy roasted potatoes that uses a classic British approach. First, you boil potatoes in salted water until tender, then you toss them roughly in a bowl with fat (preferably drippings from a roast), causing a starchy slurry to form on the surface. As the potatoes roast, that slurry dries and crisps, forming a craggy crust that gives the potatoes a hefty crunch.
A few years after that, I realized that the phrase “ultracrispy” was relative, and even those potatoes could be improved upon. So I developed a recipe that I modestly called “The Best Crispy Roast Potatoes Ever” for the website Serious Eats. I added a touch of baking soda to the initial boil, raising the pH of the water. This causes pectin — the polysaccharide glue that holds plant cells together — to break down more rapidly. In turn, the surfaces of the potatoes become extra-starchy, which increases crispness significantly.
So where could I go from “best”?
Recently I’ve had pizza on the mind — specifically Detroit-style pizza, and even more specifically the crisp cheese crust that develops around the rim of the blue steel baking tray. If you’ve ever had frico, those crisp discs of fried Parmesan that crunch as you bite into them and dissolve into a wash of nutty, savory flavor on your tongue, you know what I’m talking about.
How great would it be to combine roast potatoes with a crispy cheese crust?
First I tried boiling potatoes (russets for their starchiness) in alkaline water (salted water with 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda added per quart) that I flavored with peppercorns, garlic and herbs (I’ve found that boiling with aromatics is the best way to get flavor that really sticks to potatoes).
Next, I transferred the potatoes to a cast-iron skillet and sprinkled grated cheese along the edges of the pan, just as I would treat the dough in a Detroit pizza. The results were promising, but far from what I was looking for: The cheese formed more of a leathery sheath than a truly crisp crust, while packing the potatoes into the pan reduced the surface area for crusting.
Roasting them spread out on a parchment-lined baking sheet would be the way to go.
After tweaking a bit more, I landed on adding grated Parmesan directly to the bowl as I tossed the hot, parboiled potatoes with melted butter, which complements the flavor of the cheese better than olive oil or animal fat. This lets the Parmesan melt slightly, combining with the starchy slurry and forming an even coating over every potato piece.
The batches I’ve been pulling from the oven recently are spectacular. The cheese crust shatters just like frico, but with a heftier crunch, revealing a fluffy potato interior. The combination of savory crust and moist interior reminds me of seasoned frozen curly fries (the best expression of frozen potatoes), if seasoned frozen curly fries managed to pull off the painfully-sophisticated-yet-casual look.
As for the recipe title, I’m not really sure where I can go from “best,” so enjoy these extra-crispy Parmesan-crusted roasted potatoes.
Until next time, potato. And there will be a next time.