The Baking Method Giada De Laurentiis Uses For Extra-Crispy Cheesy Potatoes - Tasting Table

"Celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis has great tips for cooking potatoes - and for extra-crispy and cheesy parmesan potatoes, she bakes them using a clever method. First, De Laurentiis cuts small potatoes in half. Then she pours melted, unsalted butter onto a parchment-lined baking sheet before adding and mixing in a load of grated Parmesan cheese, herbs, lemon zest, and ground pepper. She then spreads this buttery, cheesy mixture in an even, thin layer on the prepared baking sheet."

"Optionally, you can smash each potato half before baking everything until the butter mixture browns and transforms into something akin to cheese chips or crisps. When ready to enjoy, grab the crispy cheese and break off a potato. This dish is perfect as a stand-alone snack or as an appetizer during dinner time. As a snack, consider pairing the potatoes with a dipping sauce, such as ranch or blue cheese, for more cheesy flavor."

"You can transform the crispy Parmesan potatoes to suit your palate. There's a creative way to use chili crisp in your cooking to build heat directly into the base. After melting the butter, stir a spoonful or two of chili crisp into the Parmesan and seasonings. This infuses the potatoes with heat from the start and adds extra umami. You can also swap out chili crisp with sriracha or your favorite hot sauce for a different kind of kick."

Small potatoes are halved and placed cut-side-down on a parchment-lined baking sheet coated with melted unsalted butter mixed with grated Parmesan, herbs, lemon zest, and ground pepper. The buttery, cheesy mixture is spread thin so that, when baked, it browns and becomes crisp like cheese chips that adhere to the potato. Potatoes can be smashed before baking for extra contact and crispiness. Serve the potatoes as a snack or appetizer; pair with ranch, blue cheese, or drizzle with chili crisp for heat. Chili crisp can be stirred into the butter before baking or swapped with sriracha. Jarred marinara yields a pizza-like flavor.

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