You can also twice-bake little fingerling potatoes, and they'll look just like miniature baked potatoes. The round shape of Yukon Golds, however, makes those potatoes much easier to hollow out.


Servings: Yields 24 pieces

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Ingredients
24 baby Yukon Gold or red potatoes, each about 2 inches across (2 to 2-1/4 pounds) 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 3 ounces bacon (about 3 thick slices), cooked until crispy and crumbled6 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh chives 1/2 cup creme fraiche or sour cream1/2 cup coarsely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Directions
1 Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Put the potatoes on a large baking sheet and toss with the olive oil. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and toss again. Bake the potatoes until they feel perfectly tender when pierced with a skewer, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. If not working ahead, increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F.
2 Carefully hollow out each potato: Begin by slicing off the top; use a small spoon or a melon baller to scoop out most of the flesh inside, transferring it to a large bowl. Discard the tops. Mash the potato flesh with a masher or a fork, then combine it with the bacon, 1/4 cup of the chives, the creme fraiche, the remaining 1 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Season to taste with more salt and pepper.
3 Using a small spoon and your fingers, fill the hollowed potatoes with this mixture; it should mound a bit. Sprinkle on the cheese.
4 Return the potatoes to the 450 degrees F oven and bake until the filling heats through, 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining chives and serve warm.
5 Make Ahead: You can stuff the potatoes up to two days ahead as long as you wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate them; bring them to room temperature before the second baking.