If any doctor ever tells me that I’m allergic to potatoes, I’m all done. Just put me in the ground. Something in me is completely hard-wired to crave the starchy goodness of a potato, and the more texture I can experience in one bite, the happier I’ll be.

There are as many great ways to cook potatoes as there are varieties of potato. And I love them every which way—soft and creamy, as my hubby’s ultra-decadent roasted garlic mashed; firm, cold and toothsome, as my dilly-dilly, double-heat potato salad; or crunchy, cheesy and slightly greasy, as the easy hash brown waffles that we enjoy so much for our big breakfasts on the weekends. Above all, it’s pure crispiness and simple saltiness on potatoes that really wrecks me. My favorite potato chips are the ones that are kettle-cooked with the skin on, and if they happen to be folded over, bubbled up and wrapped around each other, maybe burned a little bit—even better. Yes, give me some of that crunch, please!

Everybody should have at least one really simple potato dish that is easy to make at home, yet still delivers all the goods on texture and flavor, and this, for me, is that dish. These crispy, pan-roasted potatoes are crispy and salty on the outside, but soft, fluffy and tender on the inside. The dual texture that I find so satisfying is the result of cooking them twice, though neither method requires much effort, and they can usually be done in the background of whatever you are serving with them. You will want to choose small, thin-skinned potatoes for this recipe—my usual go-to is baby reds because they are waxy and firm enough to hold their shape through both cooking processes. Small gold or yellow potatoes also work, but russets are a no-go for this one, both for their crumbly nature and the thicker skin.

Begin by scrubbing the potatoes thoroughly, removing any little eye sprouts or dark spots, but keeping as much skin on as possible. Next, boil the potatoes gently until they are just tender enough to pierce with the tip of a paring knife. Drain and cool until they can be easily handled, then carefully press them under a flat dish to create thick potato disks. Then (here comes the best part) fry them over medium low heat in a mixture of butter and olive oil. Salt and pepper, nothing else. Oh. My. Goodness.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. baby red potatoes, scrubbed clean (keep the peels on)

Kosher salt for boiling potatoes

3 Tbsp. salted butter (maybe more)

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper for serving

Instructions

Let’s run through it in pictures first, shall we? I’m sure you know how to boil the potatoes, so we are picking up from the point they are fork-tender and drained.

1. Cover potatoes with cold water in a medium heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a low boil, add a good amount of salt (about a teaspoon), then reduce the heat and simmer gently until potatoes pierce easily with the tip of a paring knife or a fork.
2. Drain the potatoes in a colander until they are cool enough to handle.
3. Place one potato at a time on a cutting board and press it gently, using a flat-bottomed dish or bowl. Use a clear bowl if possible, to help you see how much the potato is flattening. It should burst slightly open on the sides, but you want to keep it intact as much as possible. Easy does it. After flattening, each potato should be about 1/2 inch thick.
4. Heat a heavy stainless or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and all of the olive oil. When the butter-oil mixture begins to bubble at the edges, arrange the potatoes in a single layer in the pan. It’s fine if they are touching, but leave enough room to insert a spatula when it’s time to turn them. Reduce the heat to medium-low once all the potatoes are in the pan.
5. As the potatoes begin to cook, they will soak up much of the butter-oil mixture. Slice off a couple dabs of cold butter and insert them between potatoes here and there in the pan. Give them about 8 minutes, then begin checking the bottom for doneness.
6. When the potatoes begin to get browned and crispy on the bottom, use a small spatula to gently turn them over, one at a time. If you get over-ambitious, the potatoes may break, so take it slow. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. As with the first side, if the potatoes seem to soak up the butter right away, add a couple slivers more butter, or a thin drizzle of olive oil around and between the potatoes.
7. When second side is browned, turn the potatoes over once more, for a quick “re-crisping” of the first side. This ensures that your potatoes are perfectly crispy and hot on both sides. Give them one last sprinkle of salt and pepper, and serve them hot.

These crispy, pan-fried potatoes are easy and done in the background while you work on whatever else you’re serving for dinner. We had them this time with our Easter dinner of roasted leg of lamb and asparagus. But wouldn’t they be great alongside a roast chicken, or meatloaf, or burgers, or just about anything?