My Amish neighbor taught me this simple side dish and it only takes 3 ingredients to make the perfect spring meal.

My Amish neighbor, Ruth, showed me this little potato trick one chilly spring afternoon when the first new potatoes came in from her garden. She believes a good side dish doesn’t need much fuss, just patience and the right three ingredients. These oven baked Amish whole new potatoes are as simple as they come: tender inside, golden and crispy on the outside, and glistening with melted butter and coarse salt. It’s the kind of humble, practical recipe that fits right into a Midwestern farmhouse kitchen and makes a perfect spring meal when the days are still cool but the fields are waking up.

Serve these potatoes straight from the glass casserole dish while they’re still sizzling, with extra melted butter spooned over the top. They’re wonderful alongside roast chicken, baked ham, pork chops, or a simple skillet of fried eggs and sliced tomatoes. Add a green vegetable—like buttered peas, steamed green beans, or a fresh lettuce salad—to round out the plate. Leftovers reheat nicely and can be smashed and crisped up in a skillet for breakfast the next morning.

Servings: 4

2 pounds small whole new potatoes, rinsed and well dried

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Place a rack in the center of the oven so the potatoes bake evenly and brown nicely.

Lightly grease a glass casserole dish with a little of the melted butter, or swirl about 1 tablespoon of the butter directly in the dish if it’s oven-safe and already warm. The dish should be large enough to hold the potatoes in a single layer.

Rinse the whole new potatoes under cool water to remove any dirt, then pat them very dry with a clean towel. Dry skins are important for good browning and crispness.

Place the dry potatoes in a large bowl. Pour the remaining melted butter over them and toss well until every potato is coated. Sprinkle the coarse salt evenly over the potatoes and toss again so the salt clings to the buttery skins.

Spread the buttered, salted potatoes into the prepared glass casserole dish in a single layer, making sure they’re not crowded on top of each other. Pour any extra butter from the bowl over the potatoes.

Place the casserole dish in the preheated oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of your potatoes. About halfway through the baking time, gently shake the dish or use a spoon to turn the potatoes so they brown evenly on all sides.

Begin checking for doneness at 35 minutes. The potatoes are ready when the skins are golden brown and crisp in spots and a fork or thin knife slides easily into the center of the largest potato.

Remove the dish from the oven and, while the potatoes are still hot, taste one and sprinkle on a pinch more coarse salt if needed. Let them sit for 5 minutes so the bubbling butter settles slightly, then serve the potatoes right from the glass dish, spooning the melted butter over the tops as you dish them up.

If your new potatoes are very large, you can cut them in half, but keep the pieces fairly uniform so they cook evenly. Just remember that cutting them exposes more surface area, so they may brown a bit faster; start checking earlier. For a slightly different texture, you can gently press each potato with the back of a spoon during the last 5 to 10 minutes of baking to crack the skins and make extra-crispy edges, still using only the butter and coarse salt already in the dish. If you only have unsalted butter, simply add an extra pinch of coarse salt at the end to balance the flavor. Use firm, fresh potatoes without green spots or sprouting eyes; trim away any blemishes before cooking. Always wash your hands, utensils, and cutting boards after handling raw potatoes that were dirty from the garden, and never use potatoes that smell off or feel slimy. Leftover cooked potatoes should be cooled, covered, and refrigerated within 2 hours and eaten within 3 to 4 days; reheat thoroughly in a hot oven or skillet until steaming in the center.