Twice-Baked Potatoes - The Washington Post

2022-09-10 03:19:13 By : Ms. Vivian Wu

Scott Suchman for The Washington Post; food styling by Lisa Cherkasky for The Washington Post

Staff writer Emily Heil re-created her father's favorite side dish here. These classic twice-baked potatoes are creamy, cheesy and satisfying. Crisping the hollowed out potato skins in the oven isn't an essential step, but it keeps them from getting soggy once the filling is added. Once filled, the potatoes are returned to the oven to lightly brown on top. You can vary the cheeses, too; try gruyere or Swiss.

Active time: 30 mins; Total time: 2 hours

Storage Notes: Refrigerate for up to 2 days; reheat in a 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes.

When you scale a recipe, keep in mind that cooking times and temperatures, pan sizes and seasonings may be affected, so adjust accordingly. Also, amounts listed in the directions will not reflect the changes made to ingredient amounts.

Position a rack in the top third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.

Place the potatoes on a large, rimmed baking sheet and roast for about 1 hour, or until the skin is browned and a fork easily pierces the flesh. Transfer the potatoes to a wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes; leave the oven on.

Halve each potato lengthwise and place cut side up on a work surface. If the potatoes are still too hot, use an oven mitt or kitchen towel to hold them.

Using a small spoon, gently scoop out the flesh from each half into a medium bowl, leaving a 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch thickness of flesh in each skin. Don’t fret if the skins tear a bit, you can still fill them. Arrange the skins on the baking sheet and return them to the oven for about 10 minutes, or until lightly crisped.

Meanwhile, mash the potato flesh with a fork or potato masher until it’s as smooth as you like it. Stir in the cheese, sour cream, milk, butter, scallions, if using, salt and pepper until well combined.

Remove the potato skins from the oven and turn the oven setting to broil. Do not raise the rack. Using a towel or oven mitt, holding each skin steady on the pan, spoon the mixture into the skins, mounding slightly at the center.

Return the pan to the oven and broil for 10 to 15 minutes, or just until lightly browned on top. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle with the scallions and/or bacon, if using, and serve warm.

From staff writer Emily Heil.

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