An old friend from Dublin shared this 4 ingredient crispy baked dish and it brings back the best memories.

This little pan of oven baked Irish cheddar potato halves is what I make when I’m missing old friends and simpler days. An old friend from Dublin shared this four‑ingredient, crispy baked dish with me years ago, and every time I pull that glass baking dish from the oven, it brings back the best memories of long talks at the kitchen table. Russet potatoes are baked until tender, scooped into rustic little boats, then piled high with sharp Irish cheddar and a good snowfall of black pepper. It’s humble, comforting, and easy enough for any weeknight, but special enough to set out for company.

Serve these cheesy potato halves piping hot, right in the glass baking dish, with a simple green salad or steamed green beans to balance the richness. They’re wonderful alongside roast chicken, meatloaf, or a skillet of pork chops, and they make a hearty partner for a bowl of tomato soup on a cold night. For a cozy gathering, I’ll set them out as a shared side, let folks scoop from the pan, and offer a little dish of sour cream at the table for anyone who wants an extra dollop.

Servings: 4

4 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed and dried

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly butter a glass baking dish large enough to hold the potato halves in a single layer.

Using a fork, prick each potato a few times all over. Place the whole potatoes directly on the oven rack and bake for 45–60 minutes, or until the skins are crisp and a knife slips easily into the centers.

Remove the potatoes from the oven and let them cool just until you can handle them comfortably, about 10–15 minutes. Leave the oven on.

Slice each potato in half lengthwise. Using a small spoon, gently scoop out most of the fluffy insides, leaving about a 1/4-inch shell so the halves hold their shape. Reserve the scooped potato for another use, if you like.

Brush the insides and edges of each potato half generously with the melted butter, then sprinkle the insides with about half of the cracked black pepper.

Arrange the buttered potato halves, cut side up, snugly in the prepared glass baking dish.

Mound the shredded sharp Irish cheddar evenly into each potato half, letting it pile up a bit so it can melt and bubble over the edges.

Sprinkle the remaining cracked black pepper over the tops of the cheese-filled potatoes.

Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, deeply golden, and bubbling and the edges of the potato skins are crisp.

Carefully remove the glass baking dish from the oven and let the potatoes rest for 5 minutes before serving. Bring the dish straight to the table and serve the potato halves hot, with extra cracked black pepper if you like.

For a slightly smokier flavor, you can use an Irish-style aged cheddar with a bit of smoke, though I like the clean bite of a sharp traditional block. If you prefer a softer texture, mash a little of the reserved potato with some of the melted butter and a spoonful of warm milk, then spoon that back into the shells before topping with cheese and pepper. To stretch the recipe for a crowd, cut smaller potatoes in half and arrange them tightly in the glass dish so everyone can take one or two. If you need to make them ahead, bake and butter the shells earlier in the day, then cover and refrigerate; when you’re ready to serve, top with cheese and pepper and bake until hot and bubbly, adding a few extra minutes to the oven time. For a heartier plate, serve these under poached or fried eggs for breakfast or brunch, letting the yolk run into the cheesy potato. And if you have any leftovers, reheat them in a hot oven rather than the microwave so the skins stay crisp and the cheese melts without turning rubbery.