Savory Potatoes

Savory baked sweet potatoes are a welcome low-fat change from sweet potatoes baked the usual way in a buttery brown-sugar glaze. These sweet potatoes are fragrant with garlic and rosemary.

Select sweet potatoes that are about the same size. They should be the sweet, moist dark-skinned type with orange flesh, not the pale or yellow variety. The potatoes are sliced deeply and baked with the garlic and rosemary in the cuts. After about an hour, the potatoes and the tips of the rosemary sprigs will be browned and full of flavor.

SAVORY BAKED SWEET POTATOES

4 sweet potatoes, about 3/4 pound each

Sprigs of fresh rosemary

Thin slices garlic

Nonstick cooking spray

Kosher salt, to taste

Cracked black pepper, to taste

Clean sweet potatoes under running water and pat dry. Make deep crosswise cuts about every inch, 2 to 3 cuts per potato; cut almost but not quite through, leaving potatoes intact. Insert several sprigs rosemary and few slices garlic deep into cuts.

Place on baking sheet and spray potatoes with cooking spray. Sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Bake at 375 degrees just until potatoes are tender and lightly browned, about 1 hour.

Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

319 calories; 98 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 0 fat; 75 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 2.71 grams fiber.

* Plates from Cottura, Century City shopping Center and on Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles.