Twice Baked Potatoes

Baked potatoes are good, but twice baked potatoes...different level stuff that dreams are made of.  I had been wanting to make some for a while, and they were just as good as I thought they'd be.  Plus, they weren't complicated – just more time consuming than your standard baked potato.  Well worth the effort, in my opinion.

This recipe works best if you buy potatoes that are roughly the same size and shape.  You'll be slicing them in halves, so a more uniform shape is best.

Twice Baked Potatoes

Serves 8
Total time: 1 hour, 45 minutes

Ingredients:

4 medium russet potatoes (roughly the same size, about 8 oz), scrubbed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup crème fraiche or sour cream, at room temperature
1/4 cup whole milk or half-and-half, warmed
3/4 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
1/4 cup lightly packed finely grated Parmigiana Reggiano
5 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped scallions (green parts)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.  Set the potatoes directly on the oven rack and bake until tender throughout, about 1 hour to 1 hour, 15 minutes.  Transfer potatoes to work surface and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

2. Using a large chef's knife, cleanly slice the potatoes in half to give two shallow, wide halves; avoid tearing the skin.  Using a towel or oven mitt, hold the potato half and gently scoop out the flesh into a large bowl, leaving 1/4" thick skin.  Repeat with remaining halves.  Mash the potato flesh with a potato masher.

3.  Add in the butter, crème fraiche or sour cream, milk or half-and-half, cheeses, bacon, salt, pepper, and scallions to the potato flesh.  Stir to combine.  Using a spoon, fill the potato skins, lightly packing the mixture into the skins.

4.  Heat the oven to 400ºF.  Arrange the potato skins on a baking sheet or in a large baking dish.  Bake until heated through and beginning to turn golden brown on top, 25 to 30 minutes.  Let sit 10 minutes before serving.


Adapted from Molly Stevens, Fine Cooking