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Baked Potato Crisps with the Works

Source of Recipe

From "The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook" by Deb Perelman


Recipe Introduction

"I am not sure when the baked potato fell from grace, but I am here, making it my cause to bring it back. Baked potatoes are one of those foods that were as ubiquitous during the dinner meal when I was growing up as Good Seasonings Italian dressing, in the hourglass bottle with the ingredient markings on the side. And then, sadly, the old-fashioned baked potato got pushed out by little reds cooked with freshly minced herbs—which are delicious but have nothing on a puff of carbs topped with cheese, sour cream, and bacon. Here is your chance to have everything worth piling on a spud in something you can finish in a few bites, maybe even while holding a beer in your other hand. Skin-on discs of buttery, salted baked potato with baked-on cheddar cheese support a small dollop of sour cream, some crumbled bacon, and a shower of minced chives. You should serve them as soon as they come out of the oven and then go back into the kitchen to make more, because the first batch will be gone immediately. I'm sorry, they just have that effect on people."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 3 tablespoons butter
â—¦ 3 russet potatoes, unpeeled, cut into ½-inch cross sections (should yield about 14 slices)
â—¦ Salt
â—¦ Freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ ½ cup grated cheddar (about 2 ounces)
â—¦ 1 cup sour cream
â—¦ 4 ounces bacon, fried until crisp, and chopped or crumbled
â—¦ 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives


Recipe

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with foil (I find this makes later potato removal easier) and generously butter each sheet with ½ tablespoon cold butter.

Arrange the potato slices in one layer on the baking sheets. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and brush the potato tops with it. Season the potatoes generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast them for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown underneath. Flip, and roast for an additional 10 minutes.

Sprinkle each potato slice with a generous teaspoon of cheese, and bake for an additional 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Top each crisp with a small dollop of sour cream, bacon crumbles, and chives.

Makes about 42 crisps