Chef John's Potato Roses

1 . Stage

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Generously grease a 12-cup muffin tin with melted butter, reserving the rest for the potatoes.

2 . Stage

Slice potatoes to about 1/16 to 1/8 inch thickness using a mandoline or vegetable slicer. Discard end pieces that are mostly skin. Place slices in a bowl and add rosemary, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Drizzle in the remaining melted butter. Toss with your hands to evenly distribute, about 2 to 3 minutes, trying to separate all the potato slices. Grate about a quarter of the cheese over the potatoes. Toss. Add more cheese; toss again. Continue until all cheese is incorporated.

3 . Stage

Stack potato slices in uneven layers (to resemble flower petals) in prepared muffin tin, ending with some of the smaller pieces.

4 . Stage

Bake in preheated oven until potatoes are tender, 45 to 60 minutes, testing with a metal skewer for doneness. Potatoes should be very soft. If potatoes look too brown but aren't yet cooked through, cover pan with foil for the final minutes of baking.

5 . Stage

Loosen edges of potato roses with a fork and lift out of pan to serving dish. Chef John