Leite’s Culinaria Twice-Baked Potatoes (Recipe Review)

For any person who spends a first rate quantity of time online on the lookout at recipes, possibilities are you have stumbled upon Leite’s Culinaria. The site, launched by meals writer David Leite, is loaded with recipes, food items crafting, and cooking guides that are each inspiring and useful. It’s beloved by the foods neighborhood and has even gained a James Beard Award, so when I observed they had a recipe for twice-baked potatoes, I realized I necessary to include things like it as section of my recipe showdown.

The recipe, adapted from the cookbook Steak with Mates: At Dwelling, with Rick Tramonto, is very simple, but has a couple intelligent updates that elevate it. It calls for a combination of Irish cheddar and Parmesan in the base and the filling is piped into the shells to create a attractive scalloped sample. The recipe looked like a fancier variation of the two times-baked potatoes I grew up ingesting, and I was keen to give it a try.

Whilst this recipe feels a bit fancier than the other 2 times-baked potatoes I tested, it was basically a single of the best kinds to make. Start by cleaning some russet potatoes. Rub them with oil, pierce them with a fork, and bake them till tender. Allow the potatoes awesome and reduce the oven temperature.

Lower each individual potato in 50 % lengthwise, then scoop out the flesh, taking care not to rip the skins. Go the potatoes by a meals mill or ricer, or smash them with a masher until eventually sleek. Include fifty percent-and-fifty percent, bitter cream, shredded Irish cheddar, scallions, melted butter, salt, and pepper.

Arrange the potato skins on an oiled baking sheet and spoon or pipe the filling into them. (I piped the filling using a huge zip-top rated bag with the corner reduce off.) Sprinkle the tops with more shredded cheddar and some Parmesan and bake until finally golden-brown. I loved mine straight from the oven, but Leite’s notes that you can serve them with bitter cream and further scallions or chives.

This recipe was completely delightful and evidence that a uncomplicated recipe can be elevated with top quality ingredients. The Irish cheddar blended with the Parmesan gave these potatoes a bold savoriness, elevating them from a simple aspect dish to anything unique. The mix of 50 %-and-fifty percent and sour product additional a prosperous dairy taste and velvety texture that built them experience decadent. I also liked the addition of scallions. It included a pop of freshness that aided liven up the filling and reduce it from getting overly prosperous. 

The only critique I can assume of is that the filling felt a tad damp to me, but that could be because my potatoes skewed marginally medium in size versus massive. That said, the potatoes had been exceptional and some thing I would happily try to eat yet again. It felt like a fancier edition of the vintage — yet even now shockingly straightforward to make.

Ahead of you head into the kitchen area to make this recipe, preserve these suggestions in thoughts.

Have you at any time made Leite’s twice-baked potato recipe? Enable us know in the opinions!