This is simple to make but looks very pretty on the plate.
8 medium baking potatoes, peeled
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, melted, plus extra for preparing baking dish
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup dry bread crumbs
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Butter a 9 × 13-inch baking dish. Thinly slice each potato ¾ of the way through crosswise, carefully leaving the bottom of the potato whole. Drop in a bowl of water and leave for 30 minutes. Drain them and pat day.
Combine 1 cup melted butter with the olive oil, salt, and black pepper in a shallow bowl. Roll the potatoes in the butter mixture. Bake for 30 minutes. Baste with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and continue to roast for 30 additional minutes. Combine the Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs and sprinkle over the potatoes, and continue to bake until tender. This can be baked earlier in the day and reheated.
Makes 8 servings.