Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line a large, dark sheet pan with parchment paper. Don't skip the parchment paper; it really helps the potatoes cook evenly without the cut side getting too hard.

Thoroughly scrub the potatoes using cold water to remove all the dirt and any debris. Completely dry the potatoes and cut the potatoes in half lengthwise.

Place the potatoes, flesh side down, on the sheet pan. Pierce the skin of each potato 3 times with the tines of a fork. Flip the potatoes flesh side up. Drizzle the oil over all the potatoes and take your time to rub the oil into both sides of the potatoes so all parts of the potatoes are sufficiently covered.

Evenly sprinkle ¾ teaspoon of salt and ⅛ teaspoon of pepper over all the potatoes. Remember, that amount of salt and pepper is for all the potatoes, not each of them. Now flip again, so the potatoes are flesh side down. Sprinkle remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper over the skins.

Bake flesh side down for 35–45 minutes, checking at 35 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a fork into the biggest potato. If it goes in easily, the potatoes are tender and ready! If not, add an additional 5 minutes. Cook until fork tender, checking every 5 minutes.

Remove from the oven and serve with your favorite toppings. We like a pat of butter, Cheddar cheese, sour cream, and green onions or chives. See the blog post for more ideas. Make sure to taste the potatoes and add additional salt and pepper as needed.