Chef John's Herb-Infused Potato Bites

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius).

To prepare the muffin tin, generously grease it with melted butter, reserving some for the potatoes.

Slice the potatoes into very thin pieces using a mandoline or vegetable slicer, aiming for about 1/16 to 1/8 inch thickness. Discard any pieces that are mostly skin and set them aside.

Take the potato slices and place them in a bowl, adding a generous amount of rosemary, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Drizzle the remaining melted butter over the potatoes and use your hands to mix everything together, distributing the ingredients evenly for about 2 to 3 minutes.

To incorporate the cheese, sprinkle a quarter of it over the potatoes and mix again. Continue adding more cheese in small increments until all of it has been used up.

Now, create the potato roses by stacking the slices in an uneven layer pattern, resembling flower petals. Arrange these layers in the prepared muffin tin, finishing with some of the smaller pieces on top.

Place the potato roses in the preheated oven and bake until they are tender, taking about 45 to 60 minutes. To check for doneness, insert a metal skewer into the center of one of the potatoes; if it slides in easily, they are cooked through. If not, cover the pan with foil for the final minutes of baking.

Once the potatoes are tender and very soft, use a fork to loosen their edges and lift them out of the pan into a serving dish.