Oven-Roasted Potatoes

You can oven-roast any kind of potato, with slightly different but always desirable results. Waxy potatoes will form a crisp brown crust and, as long as you cook them long enough, a creamy interior; starchy varieties will darken more easily and turn very, very soft, without crisping as much. Either way, they’re fine either hot from the oven or served at room temperature. Other vegetables you can use: any root vegetable, winter squash, or tropical tuber.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or melted butter, plus more as needed

2 pounds potatoes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Heat the oven to 400 F. Smear a large roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet with a little of the oil. It should be large enough to hold all the potatoes in a single layer without overcrowding.
• Scrub the potatoes and peel them if you like. Make sure they’re fairly dry and cut them into chunks of equal size, anywhere from 1 to 2 inches wide. Put them in the pan, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil, and toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Roast, undisturbed, for 20 minutes before checking for the first time. If the potatoes release easily from the pan, stir them up a bit or turn the pieces over with tongs. If they look too dry and are sticking, drizzle with a little more oil and toss. Continue roasting, turning every 10 minutes or so, until crisp on the outside and tender inside, another 20 to 40 minutes, depending on the type of potato and how large the chunks are. The potatoes are done when a skewer or sharp knife inserted into one meets almost no resistance. Remove from the oven, taste, and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

MAKES: 4 servings

TIME: About 1 hour