For me, the slight chill of fall in the air is a perfect match for roasted potatoes. I especially like Raclette-style spuds with melted cheese on top. 

This is a hearty, delicious side dish and you could even turn into a main meal with a salad or soup alongside. 

I prefer to use Raclette or Gruyere cheese for this recipe, but you could substitute any kind of melting cheese that you like - Asiago, for example. 

This recipe serves 3-4 as a side dish. It's easy to double the recipe and exact amounts aren't important. You could also add additional seasonings, herbs and such. Make it your own! 

Ingredients: 

1 lb. fingerling potatoes, rinsed and dried

Olive oil

Kosher salt

Black pepper

2 gloves garlic, peeled and lightly mashed

1-2 sprigs of rosemary

3-4 sprigs of thyme

1 1/2 to 2 cups grated melting cheese such as Raclette or Gruyere


Method: 

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. 

When the oven has reached 500 degrees, place an empty shallow baking dish or baking sheet into the oven for about 10 minutes. 


Remove the heated baking dish from the oven (remember to use oven mitts!) and drizzle olive oil in the bottom of the dish. 

Add the potatoes to the dish and season them generously with salt and pepper. Toss in the garlic and the fresh herbs and drizzle with some more olive oil on top of the potatoes. 


Place the potatoes into the oven and lower the temperature to 425 degrees F. 

Cook the potatoes for about 20 minutes, or until almost tender. 

Remove the dish from the oven and discard the garlic and herbs. Then, scatter the grated cheese on top of the potatoes. 


Return the potatoes to the oven to cook for another 5-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and crispy in spots. I usually turn on the broiler for the last couple minutes to brown the cheese a little. 


Serve and enjoy! 

Photos by Ted Scheffler