One of the culinary world’s most delectable, go-to sides is roasted potatoes. A little bit of crunch on the outside, a little bit of creamy, starchy goodness on the inside, and nice sop-a-bility for any tasty juices milling around on your plate.

Ready? Set? Mmmmm…..

Ingredients:

Potatoes. Surprise!
Which kind, you ask? I like using Yukon Golds. They roast up a little browner than Russets —which I like for baking potatoes whole—and I think taste a tad sweeter. I almost never use white potatoes, though you certainly can. How about sweet potatoes? Yes, you can roast those, too. Also very delicious. However, sweet potatoes usually require a shorter cooking time and have a tendency to soak up more oil. So the following instructions are best for those Yukons.
Olive oil. No, not canola oil, coconut oil, palm oil, vegetable oil, avocado oil, sesame oil, 10W-30 motor oil or anything else. Olive oil. Period.
Two or three fresh rosemary sprigs.
Salt and pepper. Lots of it.

What to do:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 450°.
While the oven is heating up, cut your potatoes into nice, chunky pieces. DO NOT PEEL YOUR POTATOES. How big should the chunks be? The picture above is a good example of the size I like.
Take those potato chunks and put them in a large bowl. Cover them with salt. Lots. Don’t be shy. Pour on some olive oil. Again, don’t be stingy.
Grab the rosemary sprigs. About rosemary: It is a wonderful, hardy perennial in many places and a fantastic addition to any garden. When planted in the ground, rosemary usually requires little attention and can be used on meats, fish, veggies, you name it.
So, take a sprig, rake off the needles with your hand, and given them a little chop if you like. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. Sprinkle the rosemary over the potatoes and then mix everything all together. I like using my hands. Messy, yes, but fun.
I like to let the potatoes sit for about 20 minutes. You don’t have to. But, you know, I think you should.
Get a cookie sheet that has a little bit of a lip (so the oil doesn’t run off). I line mine with aluminum foil. Cover that cookie sheet with oil as well. Too much oil? I think not. But that’s me.
Lay the potatoes out in a single layer on the cookie sheet. Spread them out, and give them a little elbow room.
Sprinkle again with salt and hit them with some black pepper, as well.
Bake for about 25 minutes. Take them out and stick a fork in them to test doneness. They may very well need another 15 minutes or so. Before putting them back in the oven, pop the taters off the foil and flip them over to better distribute the browning deliciousness. Trust me: Use your hands.
At this point, keep an eye on them and test them about every ten minutes or so. Final cooking time will depend on your oven, how big your chunks are, and your personal crunch-to-cream ratio preference.
When done, let them sit for 10 minutes unless you’re impatient like me.
Salt! Pepper! Serve! Enjoy!