I love the flavors of the Middle East and found this recipe on Maureen Abood’s website. Oven baked potato wedges are delicious but sometimes they don’t have that crispy salty exterior that I crave. The method used in this recipe is fantastic and gives you that fluffy interior and crispy exterior that really hits the spot. The za’atar spice that I have is a delicious blend of thyme, sumac, roasted sesame seeds, marjoram, oregano and salt. Some za’atar spices don’t include salt so the amount of salt you use to season may vary. Next time I make these I’m going to sprinkle some more sumac on top to add some color and a little tang.

Za’atar Roasted Potato Wedges

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola
• 2 large Russet potatoes
• 3 tablespoons za’atar
• Pinch of fine sea salt

Directions:

1. Pour 2 tablespoons of the oil into a rimmed baking sheet, and heat the oiled pan in the oven as you preheat the oven to 425⁰F.
2. Meanwhile, slice the potatoes in half lengthwise, then into 4 wedges lengthwise per half, for a total of about 8 wedges for each potato.
3. In a large bowl, coat the potato wedges with 2 tablespoons of oil. Dust them with the za’atar, stirring well after the addition of each tablespoon of za’atar, and salt.
4. Remove the pan with the hot oil from the oven and carefully arrange the wedges with cut-side down on the pan (they should sizzle), along with any remaining za’atar and oil in the bowl drizzled over the potatoes.
5. Roast the potatoes until they are golden brown, with a crisp exterior and soft interior, 35-45 minutes. Turn the potatoes over and rotate the pan halfway through roasting. Serve the potatoes hot. Sprinkle with sumac if you’d like a little color and tang.