The Cheesy Technique To Make A Humble Baked Potato Shine

Potatoes can reach their pillowy, starchy peaks with little more than a couple of pantry items for many preparations. Heck, forget the pantry staples, a perfect baked potato can be created with simple takeout salt and pepper packets and a few pats of butter. Introduce some dairy and perhaps some aromatics and you can make potatoes au gratin or cheesy scalloped spuds. A technique that has made the internet rounds as of late somewhat splits that difference while nodding to roasted baby potatoes, and with minimal extra steps. 

@mimis.kitchen__

CRISPY BAKED POTATO HALVES! INGREDIENTS: * 2 large Russet Potatoes * 1 – 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil * 2 tablespoons salted butter * 1/4 -1/3 cup shredded Parmesan * Kosher salt * Ground black pepper * Grated cheddar cheese * Chopped scallions and chives * (Can also add chopped cooked bacon or other toppings) DIRECTIONS: * Preheat oven to 425° . Line half baker sheet with parchment paper. * Scrub potatoes as well to get them nice and clean. Cut length wise. Brush both sides of potato with olive oil. Sprinkle well with kosher salt (or garlic salt ) and black pepper. * On parchment paper lay down two small pats of butter per potato. Sprinkle area where potato will lie with shredded Parmesan cheese. Press down each potato, half onto butter and Parmesan. * Bake and preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes until potatoes are tender and nice and golden crispy brown. Removed from oven, sliced lengthwise, and squeeze potato to loosen. Top with favorite toppings. Butter, sour cream, grated cheese, scallions, chives, cooked and chopped bacon, kosher salt and pepper, and any other toppings you like! So delicious and flavorful, including the skin. * ENJOY!! #bakedpotato #potato #baking #foodie #deliciousfood #recipe #recipes #sidedish

♬ Soulmate x Amélie x Interstellar x Passacaglia – edit – Andrea Vanzo

Cheesy baked potato halves call for slicing a tuber lengthwise, with its interior sitting on a bed of cheese and butter, which is then baked to a crisp, tender finish. This takes the simplicity of a baked potato, the gooey goodness of gratin, and the uber-easy upside-down arrangement of petite potatoes to create a triple tater threat. Like most potato creations, cheesy baked potato halves are also customizable to your own taste.

Start with washed and dried potatoes. Damp potatoes won't crisp properly, similar to how not drying your veggies is an avoidable kitchen mistake that's ruining your food. Cut the potatoes lengthwise to create two halves. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper so you can grate your cheese in piles without worrying about it sticking. Add a few pats of butter and nestle potatoes on top, white side down. Consider oiling the skin side of the potato and give it a shake of black pepper. You might want to avoid extra salt, since there's some present in the cheese.

Parmesan is a great contender for cheesy baked potato halves. It's a classic combination, plus parmesan is among the prime picks for a shattering finish, as anyone who has made Parmesan crisps can attest. A little garlic powder or a sprinkle of herbs de Provence can add a lot of flavor. Cheddar is another great option (any cheese you can turn into a crisp should work) and give it an edge with smoked paprika or even crumbled bacon. Start with the oven temperature you'd use for an ordinary baked potato but begin checking for doneness at around half the time it would usually take. The potato should release easily from the parchment, and the cheese should be as rigid as a crème brûlée once ready to serve. Plate cheese-side up, split the potato halves open, and top them with all of your usual favorites for a special departure from the expected.