Twice Baked Potatoes

Twice Baked Potatoes are a real comfort food for our house. As a kid my Granny would make them all the time. I'm sure more likely then not she made them because I would request them. 

 I have always been in love with twice baked potatoes from as early as I can remember Granny making them. Hers where always simple and super tasty. She never added bacon or sour cream. Just good old potatoes, butter, a little salt, and a good sprinkling of paprika over the top. It sounds easy enough but this recipe took longer then most things I make to figure out how to make a light tasty filling with just the potatoes and butter. I discovered if you over cook the potatoes they became too starchy. Also if you don't remove the insides of the potatoes while the potatoes are still fairly hot it will be come thick and goopy. Not the light, buttery potato filling Granny would make. Then there's the slight crispness to the top of the potato after it has been baked the second time that just puts this potato over the top!

Now go get to making these tonight! You'll be glad you did! 

Rub 3 medium sized potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil evenly divided between the potatoes and  a generous pinch of salt for each potato.

Prick potatoes well with a fork on all sides and bake in a 425 degree oven for 1 hour or until tender when poked with a fork.

Allow potatoes to cool 5-10 minutes or until just cool enough to handle. Cut potatoes in half length wise. Scoop out the insides of potatoes to a bowl and set skins aside. Allow insides to sit for about 3 minutes to remove some of the moisture. Add 3 tablespoons butter, a generous pinch of sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Use a fork and mash potato to desired consistency.

I don't mind a few lumps but I try to get the potatoes fairly smooth.

Divide filling evenly between potato skins. Use the tins of a fork to texture potatoes and then make a little pocket in the center of each potato.

Add 1/3  tablespoon butter to the center pocket of each potato. Sprinkle generously with smoked paprika. At this point potatoes can be refrigerated for up to a day until ready to use. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until potatoes are hot and the tops have formed a crispy skin.

Enjoy!

Twice Baked Potatoes

Recipe by Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Yield: 6
Ingredients

• 3 whole Potatoes, Medium Sized, Washed And Scrubbed
• 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 pinches Sea Salt, Genourously
• 3 tablespoon Butter, Softened
• 1 pinch Sea Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 2 tablespoons Butter, Cold, Divided Into 1/3
• 6 pinches Smoked Paprika

Cooking Directions

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Place potatoes in a oven safe baking dish. Divide olive oil evenly over the top and sprinkle each potato with 1 generous pinch of sea salt. Rub skin well with olive oil and sea salt. Poke each potato on all sides with a fork.
3. Bake for 1 hour or until tender when poked with a fork.
4. Allow potatoes to sit until just cool enough to handle 5-10 minutes.
5. Cut potatoes in half length wise. Scoop out insides of potatoes to a bowl and set potato skins back into baking dish.
6. Allow potato to sit for about 3 minutes to remove some moisture.
7. Add butter, a generous pinch of sea salt and pepper. Mash using a fork until desired consistency.
8. Divide filling evenly between potato skins. Use the tins of a fork to texture tops of potatoes and then make a little pocket in the center of each potato.
9. Add 1/3 tablespoon cold butter to the center pocket of each potato. Sprinkle generously with smoked paprika.
10. At this point potatoes can be covered and refrigerated for up to a day until ready to use.
11. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until potatoes are hot and the tops have formed a crispy skin.