Potatoes are ingredients to a variety of dishes from salads to soups, French to Italian cuisines, and so forth and so on. There are hundreds and probably thousands of recipes that you can make out of potatoes. This remains a fact regardless of where the origin is, but one thing that is common to most all is the way how this vegetable is cooked. The favorite and easy way to cook potatoes is to bake them. Universally, there are three methods to bake potatoes. Let’s refresh our minds with the information below.
1. Microwaved
For a quick recipe, rely on your microwave oven. You can bake potatoes using this appliance in just a few minutes.
First off, rinse the potatoes with warm water. You may peel or leave the skin on, but nutritionists recommend keeping the skin on because it is full of fibers. Rub them with olive oil then season with salt and pepper. Place them on any microwave safe plate or bowl and put in the oven. Turn on the oven at full power and allow to cook for 5 minutes. After that, you flip the side of the potatoes and bake for another 5 minutes, to ensure the potatoes are well cooked. Check if the vegetables are already soft to indicate they are already baked.
2. Oven-Baked
If microwave is not available or you simply prefer a larger oven, you can bake potatoes with it as well. Prepare the oven by pre-heating it to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also coat each potato with olive oil and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet or an oven rack. It takes about 45 minutes to an hour to cook them. The difference between oven and microwave is that the former makes a more tender baked potato with crispier skins.
3. Foil Wrapped in an Oven
You can also opt for potatoes that are wrapped in foil before having them baked in the oven. The cooking process is the same as in baking through the microwave or the oven. You only have to wrap all potatoes after spreading them all over with olive oil, salt and pepper. The result of this gives you a softer skinned potato.
You can also make a twist on the potatoes to bake by adding ingredients. You slice the potatoes equally but do not cut to separate them. Just leave some room to fill in ingredients. You can select any ingredient that you want, such as grounded pork with some spices or coleslaw. This alone can make a great dish for lunch or dinner. You won’t have to prepare other foods to serve on the table for your family. The bottom line is that potatoes are easily cooked when you bake them using one of these methods.
Whatever method of baking potatoes you choose, remember the most basic things to do. Those include washing potatoes, coating or rubbing with any choice of oil, but preferably olive oil, and sprinkling with salt and pepper to taste.
