Crispy Potato Roast

As I think I have said here before, I'm not allowed to own a deep fryer. "Hey, wonder what this would taste like deep fried?" However, I do, on occasion, make my own potato chips. And they're good. This might be a close second (however, it is from that woman so I might have to boycott it on principle).

Crispy Potato Roast
from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled
• 4 shallots, thickly sliced lengthwise
• coarse salt
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes (optional)
• 8 sprigs thyme
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine butter and oil. Brush bottom of a round 9-inch baking dish with some butter mixture. With a sharp knife or mandoline, slice potatoes very thinly crosswise.
2. Arrange potato slices vertically in dish. Wedge shallots throughout. Sprinkle with salt and red-pepper flakes (if using); brush with remaining butter mixture. Bake 1 1/4 hours. Add thyme and bake until potatoes are cooked through with a crisp top, about 35 minutes more.
   

Cook's Note
The thinner the potatoes are cut, the crispier they'll become in the oven. Keep the slices together as you cut them so that you can arrange them easily in the dish.