Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 lb hickory smoked, thick sliced bacon
- 3 1/2 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated
- coarse salt
- fresh ground pepper
- fresh parsley
Instructions
- Scrub potatoes and place in a large pot. Fill pot with water until potatoes are covered by 2-3 inches of water. Bring water to a boil and cook for 12-15 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. My potatoes were fairly large, so this took close to 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, partially freeze bacon for easier cutter. (Ten minutes in the freezer works well.) Slice bacon strips in half, then cut into 1/2-inch pieces. I like to cut my bacon prior to cooking. It’s easier to work with in the skillet and easy to drain with slotted spoon.
- Cook bacon in a skillet until golden, but still flexible. You don’t want it crunchy. Remove cooked bacon onto a plate lined with paper towels. Reserve the bacon drippings.
- Check potatoes and if fork tender, drain and allow to cool. If making this recipe again, I would peel the potatoes before I boiled them or try leaving the skins on all-together. Yukon Golds have a relatively thin skin, so I think this would have added a nice look and texture to the potatoes.
- While potatoes are cooling, preheat the oven to 425° and mince the garlic and parsley. Also, grate the Parmigiano-Reggiano.
- Next, prepare the baking sheet by brushing 1 tablespoon of olive oil and half the bacon drippings on the bottom of the pan. I used a fairly large cookie sheet for this and it worked well.
- Once the potatoes are cool, peel and cut in half, or quarter if potatoes are large.
- Place cut side down on prepared pan and sprinkle with course salt and fresh ground pepper. Place in 425° oven for 35-40 minutes. Rotate potatoes halfway through the baking time to ensure an even color. I did not do this and some of mine were more golden than others.
- Reduce temperature to 375°, turn potatoes over and sprinkle with the bacon, garlic, and Parmigiano-Reggiano.
- Add more salt and pepper if desired. Return to oven for an additional 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are evenly browned and cheese is melted. Remove from oven and sprinkle with fresh parsley. Makes 4-6 servings, depending on serving size. Serve immediately!