Pan-fried Potatoes with Cheese, Rosemary & Sage

Categories: not tried, potatoes

Ingredients

• 5 ounces Fontina or Taleggio cheese
• 1-1/2 to 2 pounds smooth-skinned red potatoes
• Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
• 6 fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 1-1/2 teaspoons roughly chopped fresh rosemary, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 3 to 4 Tablespoons virgin olive oil or a mixture of olive oil and clarified butter

Directions

1. Cut the Fontina cheese into small cubes and let them warm to room temperature while the rest of the dish is prepared.

2. Wash the potatoes, even off the ends, and slice them lengthwise about 1/2 inch thick. Slice each slab into thirds and each resulting stick into pieces to end up with cubes. Discard the odd-shaped small pieces, which are likely to burn later on.

3. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add salt to taste and the potatoes, and cook until they are just barely done, about 8 minutes. Pour them into a strainer, rinse them quickly in cool water, and set them on a towel to dry.

4. Grind the peppercorns in a mortar, keeping them coarse. If you are using dried herbs, smash them with the peppercorns.

5. Heat the oil in a wide skillet (preferably cast iron). When it is hot, lower the heat to medium and add the potatoes. Let them sit for several minutes until they begin to form a crust on the bottom; then begin shaking the pan every few minutes so that the potatoes will turn and color on all sides. When they are nicely browned, add the sage, the rosemary, and the pepper. Quickly toss the cubes of cheese among the potatoes and serve right away.

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