Recipe Background
Crispy Potatoes: Seasoned with thyme and marjoram for a textured twist.
The first time I made these crispy potatoes was during an epic snowball fight with my neighborhood crew. We were eleven, and their mom had declared our basement the warm-up zone. As fingers thawed, I knew I needed to feed these frozen warriors. A browsing session through my dad’s cookbook had revealed that the trick to getting potatoes properly crispy was a flour coating and a hot oven, but I had added a few twists of my own. Imagine a sprightly scattering of dried thyme and marjoram, followed by a sprinkle of black pepper for a little kick. We didn’t even know what marjoram was, but it sounded cool saying it out loud.
I remember the day because butter was generously poured and garlic was minced with the precision of an eleven-year-old—I distinctly recall my wobbly fingers practically vaporizing that poor clove. The aroma of melted butter, garlic, and herbs drifted temptingly through the warm basement. Every kid there swore they could live on these, and it was the first time I felt like a culinary magician. To this day, I always make sure the potatoes are well shaken in the seasoning mix before they hit the butter, ensuring every cube is crispy—a tip passed on from that snowy triumph. Letting the potatoes rest, uncovered, once they're out of the oven also helps them maintain that signature crispness.
That day marked not just a snowy adventure but a culinary awakening. Now, these crispy potatoes serve as a nod to my inner eleven-year-old, still playing with flavors and techniques until something incredible happens.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 5 medium potatoes peeled and cubed into 1-inch cubes
- 1/2 stick butter melted
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 bay leaf
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- In a large, resealable plastic bag, add the flour, the salt, the thyme, the marjoram, and the black pepper.
- Add the potatoes to the plastic bag and seal the bag.
- Shake to coat the potatoes in the seasonings mixture.
- In a 9x13-inch baking dish, add the melted butter and the garlic and stir to combine.
- Add the coated potatoes and the bay leaf to the prepared baking dish and toss to coat.
- Cover the baking dish with foil.
- Bake the potatoes for 20 minutes.
- Remove the foil and stir the potatoes.
- Bake until the potatoes are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside, about 15-20 minutes.
- Serve.
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