You will need: Firebricks/spacer grate
Top heat: approx. 220-250°C
Preheating: approx. 30 minutes
Working hours: 20 minutes
Cooking time: approx. 70-75 minutes

Ingredients
(for 8 baked potatoes)

8 potatoes, mainly waxy, 150 g each

Für vier Ofenkartoffeln „griechisch“:

• 60 g red pesto
• 100 g feta, sliced
• 8 peppers
• 1/2 red and 1/2 yellow bell pepper, in strips

Für vier Ofenkartoffeln „italienisch“:

• 60 g green pesto
• 125 g mozzarella
• 8 black olives, sliced
• 8 cherry tomatoes, sliced
• Parmesan shavings

In addition:

• fresh herbs (e.g. thyme, basil)
• Sea salt flakes, pepper from the mill

Heat the Merklinger to approx. 220-250°C.

Brush the potatoes well and make several incisions. Place each potato with the incisions facing upwards on a sufficiently large piece of aluminum foil.
Spread 1-2 teaspoons of red pesto over every four potatoes and green pesto over the remaining four. Wrap the potatoes in foil and place on the spacer rack on the firebricks.

Cook for approx. 1 hour. Use a wooden skewer to check whether the potatoes are done. If it slides through the potatoes without resistance, they are ready.

Then carefully unwrap the potatoes and place them in a large pan or casserole dish with the incisions facing upwards.

Fill the four potatoes with red pesto with feta, peppers and paprika. Fill the remaining four potatoes with mozzarella, olives and tomatoes.

Place the pan back on the wire rack in the hot Merklinger and gratinate the potatoes for approx. 10-15 minutes.

Garnish the "Italian" baked potatoes with Parmesan shavings and basil leaves. Garnish the "Greek" baked potatoes with fresh thyme.

Serve with sea salt flakes and sprinkled with pepper.

Tip:
The colorful baked potatoes are also suitable as a side dish with grilled meat or fish.
While the potatoes are cooking comfortably in the foil, there is of course plenty of room for other delicacies in your Merklinger.