Step 1

Preheat oven to 375ºF. While oven heats, scrub potatoes under cold water, dry with a towel and pierce a few times on each side with a fork. Place potatoes on a microwavable plate and microwave for 6 minutes, turning halfway through the process.

Step 2

Brush potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt, pressing it gingerly against the potatoes (be careful, they are already hot). Bake on an open oven rack, with a lined baking sheet on a rack below (we like using our nonstick Cookina baking sheet liners, but foil or parchment will also work); the potatoes will drip just a little oil or moisture from the pierced potato itself, and you don’t want this to burn onto the oven floor.

Step 3

Bake potatoes for 25 to 30 minutes, until they pierce easily with a sharp knife and the skins are crisp. Serve with your favorite potato toppings.