Preheat oven to 350°F. Using small sharp knife and working on 1 potato, make 5 crosswise vertical cuts, spaced evenly apart, from 1 side to other side (do not cut through).
Place potato in 13x9x2-inch broilerproof baking dish. Repeat with remaining potatoes.
Add some of oil to dish and toss potatoes to coat. Slide 1 bay leaf into each cut in each potato.
Mix salt, herbs, and pepper in small bowl and sprinkle over potatoes. Roast potatoes until tender, about 55 minutes.
Remove dish from oven. Preheat broiler.
Drizzle remaining oil over potatoes. Broil until potatoes begin to brown, about 4 minutes.
*A dried herb mixture available at specialty foods stores and in the spice section of some supermarkets. A combination of dried thyme, basil, savory, and fennel seeds can be substituted.
