Parmegiano Crusted Potatoes a la Kenji

INGREDIENTS:

3-4 large size Russet Potatoes (cut into 6-8 medium size pieces)

1 tablespoon of Baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmegiano Reggiano cheese

Optional: 2-3 cloves of garlic, finely minced

Optional: 1 teaspoon fresh Rosemary or Parsley or Oregano

PREPARATION:

In a boiling pot, boil 1 gallon of water. Start peeling and cutting potatoes into large cubes, about 6 -8 pieces per potato (serving size 1 potato per person). Once the water begins to boil, add the potatoes. Then add the Baking powder and salt and let it simmer for about 2 minutes,

Remove from the heat and drain the potatoes in a colander, and let it sit for a minute.
While the potatoes are draining. In a small frying pan, sauté the garlic in 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, until light brown. Remove from the heat and let it cool for 10 minutes.
Return the potatoes in a cool stainless steel bowl or glass bowl. Cooling the potatoes gets a crispier coating because there is less steam. In my iteration of this recipe, the cooler the potatoes, the better crisp you get. The potatoes will have formed a slurry coating- this is what will eventually form the crispy outer layer as it roasts in the oven. Heat the oven to 380 F degrees.

Slurry Coating–it has a thick pasty consistency.

Add the fried garlic and oil together with the potatoes

Place the potatoes in a baking sheet about 1-2 inches away from each other to roast evenly.

This one I did not include the garlic as some people don’t like it. So I consider it optional.

Place the potatoes to roast in the middle rack and roast at 380 F degrees for about 10-15 minutes. Turn the potatoes once when a crispy coating and browning color appears. Sprinkle with the grated cheese and turn up to 400 F degrees and finish to crisp the parmesan 3-5 minutes.