My Italian neighbor shared this secret and now I understand why she always has guests over for dinner.

For picky eaters, you can use a milder pesto (look for one labeled “mild” or make your own with less garlic) or mix half pesto with half melted butter to soften the flavor. If someone in your family isn’t crazy about green sauce, reserve a handful of plain quartered potatoes and toss them with just olive oil, salt, and Parmesan before adding to a separate small baking dish in the oven.

To make this recipe vegetarian-friendly, ensure your Parmesan is made with vegetarian rennet or swap in a similar hard Italian-style cheese labeled vegetarian. For extra crisp edges, transfer the cooked potatoes to a parchment-lined sheet pan and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is bubbly and browned. You can also add a handful of cherry tomatoes in the last hour of slow cooking for a pop of color and sweetness, or stir in a few tablespoons of heavy cream at the end for a creamier, more indulgent sauce.

If you’re watching sodium, choose a lower-salt pesto and reduce the Parmesan slightly, then season at the end only if needed. Food safety tips: Keep the potatoes refrigerated until you’re ready to prep, and don’t leave them sitting at room temperature in the slow cooker for more than 2 hours after cooking; transfer leftovers to shallow containers and refrigerate promptly. Reheat leftovers thoroughly until steaming hot before serving, and use them within 3 to 4 days. Always make sure potatoes are cooked until tender all the way through, as undercooked potatoes can be unpleasant and harder to digest.