When you crave an honest, warming, and wonderfully fragrant lunch or dinner that will fill up the whole family and remind you of the best moments at the cottage, there’s no need for lengthy experiments. Forget about boring side dishes—these rustic potatoes cooked in their skins, roasted with crispy bacon, red onion, garlic, and sweet paprika, baked in the oven and served with sour cream and fresh parsley are an absolute hit that will disappear from the table in no time. The secret to success lies in pre-cooking the potatoes, the rich rendered bacon fat, and the perfect contrast with hot baking.
What you’ll need for a large baking dish:
Main ingredients:
- Potatoes: 10 medium-sized potatoes
- Bacon: 450 g of quality bacon, cut into pieces
- Red onion: 2 (for a milder and pleasantly sweet flavor)
- Garlic: 6 cloves (halved for an intense garlic aroma)
- Oil: 2 to 3 tablespoons (to help fry the bacon and onion)
For seasoning and serving:
- Spices: salt, ground black pepper, and sweet paprika (to taste)
- For serving: freshly chopped parsley and chilled sour cream
Step-by-step preparation:
1. Pre-cooking the potatoes in their skins: Wash the potatoes thoroughly and cook them in a pot of salted water for about 20 to 25 minutes, until almost tender. Drain, let them cool slightly, peel, and cut into medium-sized pieces.
2. Sautéing the bacon, onion, and garlic: Cut the bacon into small pieces and fry in a pan with a little oil over medium heat until browned and the fat is rendered. Then add finely chopped red onion, season with salt, and stir. Finally, add the halved garlic cloves and let them release their aroma briefly.
3. Layering in the baking dish: Place the chopped potatoes in a baking dish, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and sweet paprika. Gently mix so the potatoes don’t get mashed. Then add the fried bacon with onion and garlic, and mix again gently so all ingredients are evenly distributed.
4. Baking until golden: Preheat the oven to 190°C. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the potatoes are beautifully golden brown and crispy on top, as you like.
5. Serving with sour cream: Serve the finished rustic potatoes hot, generously sprinkled with freshly chopped parsley. Don’t forget to add a big dollop of chilled sour cream to each portion, which creates a perfect contrast with the hot potatoes.
Proven tips for a perfect result:
- Crispy cheese crust: If you want even crispier potatoes, you can sprinkle them lightly with grated hard cheese (like Emmental or Cheddar) before baking.
- Potato selection: For baking whole or in pieces, type B potatoes are ideal as they hold their shape and don’t fall apart.
- Contrast with sour cream: The combination of hot salty potatoes, garlic, and icy cold sour cream is simply unbeatable.
