Roast potatoes
Parboiled floury potatoes roughed up and roasted in very hot oil until the outsides are deep golden and crunchy and the insides fluffy.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 220°C.
- 2
Peel the potatoes and cut them into even pieces about 5 cm across.
- 3
Put the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with cold water, add the salt and bring to the boil.
- 4
Meanwhile, pour the oil into a large roasting tin and put it in the oven to get very hot.
- 5
Simmer the potatoes until the edges are soft but the centers still resist a knife.
- 6
Drain in a colander and leave to steam dry.
- 7
Shake the colander hard a few times so the edges of the potatoes turn rough and fluffy.
- 8
Take the tin from the oven and carefully tip in the potatoes. They should sizzle. Turn each one to coat it in the hot oil.
- 9
Roast without disturbing until the undersides are golden.
- 10
Turn the potatoes, tuck in the garlic and rosemary, and roast again.
- 11
Turn once more and roast until deep golden, crisp and rattling in the tin.
- 12
Sprinkle with flaky salt and serve at once.
Notes
- Use a metal tin rather than glass or ceramic, and give the potatoes room. Crowded potatoes steam instead of crisping.
- The roughed-up surface is what crisps, so shake the drained potatoes firmly enough that the edges look fuzzy.
- You can parboil and rough up the potatoes up to a day ahead and keep them uncovered in the fridge.
Equipment
Large saucepan, Colander, Large metal roasting tin, Tongs or metal spatula