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Culinary Explorer
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Fingerling Potatoes with Bay Leaves
Created by
Small potatoes roasted slowly with bay leaves until they are golden and crackling outside, soft as butter within, perfumed with something ancient and green that makes guests ask what you did.
Side Dishes
French
Dinner Party
Weeknight
Make Ahead
10 min
Active Time
45 min cook•55 min total
Yield4 servings
Fingerlings are the potatoes you should know by name. They are waxy, dense, and hold their shape when other varieties fall apart. At the farmers market, look for them in late summer through fall when they have just come out of the ground. They should feel firm in your hand, the skin smooth and tight, no green spots or eyes beginning to sprout. A good fingerling smells faintly of earth.
The bay leaf is doing quiet work here. As the potatoes roast, the heat releases oils from the leaves that perfume everything they touch. Fresh California bay has a stronger, more eucalyptus flavor. Turkish bay, the kind you find dried in most kitchens, is gentler and more traditional. Either works. What matters is that the leaves are not ancient. Dried bay loses its purpose after a year.
This is a dish about getting out of the way. Good potatoes, good oil, a few aromatics, and enough heat to transform them. You are not masking anything. You are letting the potato taste like itself, only more so.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
fingerling potatoes
Quantity
1 1/2 pounds
scrubbed clean
good olive oil
Quantity
3 tablespoons
fresh bay leaves
Quantity
6 (or 4 dried Turkish bay leaves)
garlic cloves
Quantity
4
unpeeled and lightly crushed
flaky sea salt
Quantity
1 teaspoon, plus more to finish
black pepper
Quantity
to taste
freshly cracked
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| fingerling potatoesscrubbed clean | 1 1/2 pounds |
| good olive oil | 3 tablespoons |
| fresh bay leaves | 6 (or 4 dried Turkish bay leaves) |
| garlic clovesunpeeled and lightly crushed | 4 |
| flaky sea salt | 1 teaspoon, plus more to finish |
| black pepperfreshly cracked | to taste |
Equipment Needed
- •Rimmed baking sheet
- •Large mixing bowl
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the potatoes
Preheat your oven to 400F. Halve the fingerlings lengthwise. If some are much larger than others, quarter them so everything cooks evenly. The goal is pieces roughly the same thickness, about half an inch, so they all reach that creamy center at the same moment.
Do not peel these potatoes. The skin holds flavor and nutrients, and it crisps beautifully against the hot pan. - 2
Toss with oil and aromatics
Place the potatoes in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, bay leaves, crushed garlic cloves, salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Toss everything together with your hands, making sure each potato half is coated in oil and that the bay leaves are distributed throughout.
- 3
Arrange on the pan
Spread the potatoes cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Tuck the bay leaves and garlic between the potatoes. Cut side down is important. The flat surface caramelizes against the hot pan while the rounded skin protects the flesh from drying out.
Use a dark metal baking sheet if you have one. It absorbs heat better than shiny aluminum and produces deeper browning. - 4
Roast until golden
Roast for 35 to 45 minutes without disturbing them. Resist the urge to flip or stir. The potatoes are ready when you lift one and find a deep golden crust underneath, and a paring knife slides through the thickest piece with no resistance. The bay leaves will be fragrant and slightly darkened at the edges.
- 5
Finish and serve
Transfer to a warm serving dish, bay leaves and all. The garlic cloves can be squeezed out of their skins and eaten with the potatoes or discarded. Finish with another pinch of flaky salt. Serve while the potatoes are still hot and the aroma of bay fills the room.
Chef Tips
- •Ask your farmer when the potatoes were dug. Freshly harvested fingerlings have a sweetness and moisture that storage potatoes cannot match. The difference is worth seeking.
- •Save your best olive oil for finishing, not roasting. A decent oil handles the heat; the expensive bottle shines when drizzled over at the end.
- •If you grow bay laurel or know someone who does, use fresh leaves. The flavor is brighter and the leaves turn almost crisp in the oven. They are edible at that point, though most prefer to push them aside.
- •These potatoes are flexible with timing. If dinner is delayed, turn the oven to 200F and they will hold for thirty minutes without suffering.
Advance Preparation
- •Potatoes can be cut, tossed with oil and aromatics, and refrigerated for up to four hours before roasting. Bring to room temperature for fifteen minutes before putting them in the oven.
- •Leftovers are excellent the next day, reheated in a hot skillet with a little more olive oil until crisp again, or sliced into a frittata.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 155g)
Calories
225 calories
Total Fat
10 g
Saturated Fat
2 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
9 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
360 mg
Total Carbohydrates
31 g
Dietary Fiber
4 g
Sugars
1 g
Protein
4 g
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