Why it works: Butter and bread are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 7% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 27,232 recipes. Both carry delta-decalactone, which smells sweet, creamy. The science ↓
Roasted Fan-shaped Potatoes
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
With a sharp knife, slice potatoes thinly but not all the way through, leaving slices attached at the bottom.
Place potatoes in a greased shallow baking dish.
Bake and finish
Sprinkle with salt; brush with ¼ cup butter.
Bake, uncovered, at 425°F for 30 minutes.
Brush potatoes with remaining butter and sprinkle with bread crumbs.
Bake 20 minutes longer.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake 5 to 10 minutes more or until potatoes are tender and golden brown.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 5 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Potato | 1 medium (173g) baked | 161 |
| Parmesan Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 110 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Butter + breadtop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together27,232 recipes
Shared aroma: delta-decalactone (sweet, creamy).
-
Butter + parmesan cheesetop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,163 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
-
Potato + buttertop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together6,456 recipes
Shared aroma: (z)-4-heptenal (biscuit, cream).
-
Bread + parmesan cheesetop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together577 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
-
Potato + parmesan cheesetop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together572 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Potatoes
- Form the main body; their starch softens and the thin slices crisp at the edges while the centre stays tender.
- Butter
- Adds fat and moisture that helps the potatoes brown and crisp in the oven.
- Bread crumbs
- Form a crisp, golden topping over the potatoes as they bake.
- Parmesan cheese
- Melts and browns on the surface, adding savoury flavour and a golden crust.
The step that matters
Slice without cutting through. Stopping just short of the base keeps the slices attached so the potatoes fan open evenly. Cutting through separates them and they will not hold their shape or cook evenly in the dish.
Swap the potato
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (butter, bread, parmesan cheese):
- Tomatofits better
- Asparagusfits better
- Potatothe original
- Onionfits about as well
Fit is the average pairing score against butter, bread, parmesan cheese. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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