Cooks Illustrated Crisp Roasted Potatoes Recipes

CRISPY SMASHED ROASTED POTATOES

Steps:

• Put the potatoes in a large saucepan or Dutch oven (preferably in one layer) and cover with at least 1 inch of water. Add 2 teaspoons of Kosher salt to the water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to a good simmer, and cook the potatoes until they are completely tender and can be easily pierced with a metal or wooden skewer. Make sure they are cooked through but don't overcook. The total cooking time will be 30 to 35 minutes.
• While the potatoes are cooking set up a double layer of clean dishtowels on your countertop. As the potatoes finish cooking, remove them individually from the water, and let them drain and sit for just a minute or two on the dishtowels.
• Fold another dishtowel into quarters and using it as a cover, gently press down on one potato with the palm of your hand to flatten it to a thickness of about ½ inch. Repeat with all the potatoes. Don't worry if some break apart a bit; you can still use them.
• Cover a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; put a sheet of parchment paper on top of the foil. Transfer the flatten potatoes carefully to the baking sheet and let them cool completely at room temperature.
• If making ahead, cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Otherwise, continue on with roasting directions.
• Remove the pan of potatoes from the refrigerator, if prepared ahead. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Alternatively, if you have a convection function, turn it on and set the temperature at 400 degrees. Sprinkle the potatoes with about ¾ teaspoon of salt and pour the olive oil over them. Lift the potatoes gently to make sure some of the oil goes underneath them and they are well coated on both sides. Roast the potatoes until they are crispy and deep brown around the edges, about 30 minutes if using convection, 30 to 40 minutes if roasting conventionally, turning over once gently with a spatula or tongs half way through cooking. Serve hot.
• *Make Ahead Tip: Do the busy work-boiling and flattening the potatoes-up to 8 hours ahead. Let the potatoes cool completely, and store them on the pan, lightly covered in the fridge. Then all you have to do at the last minute is coat with oil and salt and roast.

PERFECTLY ROASTED POTATOES

Steps:

• Place a rack in the lowest position in your oven and preheat to 425°F. Halve potatoes lengthwise.
• Arrange potatoes, cut side down, on a large rimmed baking sheet, spacing evenly. Pour in 1 1/2 to 2 cups water-enough to cover the surface in a thin layer but not so much that it spills the second you move the sheet.
• Cover baking sheet with a double layer of foil, crimping sides very tightly to seal well. This will trap in steam and prevent water from sloshing out if you accidentally jostle the sheet.
• Bake until a fork or a skewer slides easily through the potatoes, 25 to 30 minutes. The foil will be puffed; pierce it with the fork or skewer and poke around for a couple of potatoes to test.
• Let potatos cool, still covered, 5 minutes. Use tongs to peel back foil about 1 inch at on corner. Carefully tip sheet and pour off water (its job is done). Crank up oven to 500°F or as high as it goes.
• Remove foil. Drizzle olive oil over potatoes. Season generously with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Let potatoes cool to the point that you can handle them, then toss to coat.
• Arrange potatoes cut side down and roast, uncovered, until skins are golden, cut sides are deeply browned and crisp, and you can see the edges frying and sizzling in the oil on the sheet, 20-25 minutes.
• Let potatoes cool for a minute or two, then use a spatula to unstick them from the baking sheet. Serve them exactly as they are because these potatoes need absolutely nothing else.

COOK'S ILLUSTRATED CRISP ROASTED POTATOES

Steps:

• 1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 450 degrees. Place potatoes and 1 tablespoon salt in Dutch oven; add cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to boil over high heat; reduce heat and gently simmer until exteriors of potatoes have softened but centers offer resistance when pierced with paring knife, about 5 minutes. Drain potatoes well and transfer to large bowl. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt; using rubber spatula, toss to combine. Drizzle with another 2 tablespoons oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt; continue to toss until exteriors of potato slices are coated with starchy paste, 1 to 2 minutes.
• 2. Working quickly, remove baking sheet from oven and drizzle remaining tablespoon oil over surface. Carefully transfer potatoes to baking sheet and spread into even layer (skin-side up if end piece). Bake until bottoms of potatoes are golden brown and crisp, 15 to 25 minutes, rotating baking sheet after 10 minutes.
• 3. Remove baking sheet from oven and, using metal spatula and tongs, loosen potatoes from pan, carefully flipping each slice. Continue to roast until second side is golden and crisp, 10 to 20 minutes longer, rotating pan as needed to ensure potatoes brown evenly. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

COOK'S ILLUSTRATED SCALLOPED POTATOES RECIPE - (3.8/5)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Meanwhile, melt butter in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until foaming subsides, about 1 minute. Add onion and sauté until it turns soft and begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add cream, milk, thyme, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and potatoes and bring to simmer. Cover, adjusting heat as necessary to maintain light simmer, and cook until potatoes are almost tender (paring knife can be slipped into and out of center of potato slice with some resistance), about 15 minutes. Remove and discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Transfer potato mixture to 3-quart gratin dish and sprinkle with cheese. Bake until cream has thickened and is bubbling around sides and top is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before serving. Tips: For the fastest and most consistent results, slice the potatoes in a food processor. When the potatoes were cut thicker than 1/8 inch, they slid apart when served. Yet when cut much thinner, the layers melted together, producing a mashed potato-like texture. At exactly 1/8 inch, the potatoes held their shape yet remained flexible enough to form tight, cohesive layers. Although it is possible to cut 1/8-inch slices by hand, it is far easier when using a food processor or mandoline.