Lightly adapted from Kenji Lopez-Alt on Serious Eats.

Preheat oven to 400F on convection setting.

• 2 quarts water (our usual pasta pot mostly full)
• 2 Tablespoons kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 4 pounds potatoes (I like Yukon Gold; can also use Russet or a mix) cut into pretty big chunks, bigger than I normally do for roasted potatoes. Kenji says to peel them but I usually don’t.
• 5 Tablespoons olive oil, duck fat, beef fat, or a mix
• Salt and pepper

Fill a pot (our usual pasta pot mostly full) with 2 quarts water, 2 T kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp baking soda. Bring to a boil and add potatoes. Return to a boil and boil for 10 minutes or until knife-tender. Drain, then let sit for about 30 seconds for some evaporation. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet.

Return to a bowl with oil/fat and a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper. Stir and shake thoroughly to allow a coating of potato goo to develop. Spread on the baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes without disturbing. Using metal spatula, loosen and flip the potatoes. Roast for another 30-40 minutes or until very brown and crispy.

Hoisin Garlic Noodles (NYT):

Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
• Salt and pepper
• 14 ounces dried wheat or egg noodles
• ¼ cup hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce 
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey
• Vegetable oil
• 6 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 6 scallions, white and green parts separated, thinly sliced
• 4 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds

Preparation
1. Boil noodles as per package instructions. Drain and rinse until the noodles are cool.
2. Combine hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil and maple syrup; set aside.
3. Heat a large 12-inch skillet on medium-high for 2 minutes. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil along with the garlic and white parts of the green onions. Cook about 30 seconds (but don’t let the garlic burn). Immediately add the sauce and then the noodles, and toss well until the noodles are evenly coated.
4. Leave the noodles to cook, undisturbed, until they start sticking to the pan and the bottom looks crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste
5. Top with the sesame seeds and the green parts of the scallions.