Crispy & Fluffy Roast Potatoes
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Wonderfully crispy & fluffy roast potatoes are the essential part of any top quality roast dinner. If it doesn’t have these golden nuggets it isn’t really a roast dinner, is it?
And while we can’t imagine a roast dinner without crispy roast potatoes, it wasn’t until 1795, when the ruling classes realised their potential to solve food shortages, potatoes start to become popular.
In fact, potatoes were first cultivated by the Inca Indians around 5000 BC and were brought to Europe in 1536 by the Spanish when they conquered Peru.
Back then potatoes were still very unpopular in Britain, and it wasn’t up until a huge campaign launched by the Board of Agriculture to encourage the working classes to adopt them into their meals, that potatoes became the staple ingredient we know nowadays.
So if you ever wondered, these are those that we have to thank for the beautiful and versatile spuds.
I don’t about know you, but I can easily feature potatoes in almost any dish, from starters to desserts!
However, you will agree with me when I say that NOTHING beats a golden baked potato with crispy rough edges and a fluffy, warm interior.
That, my people, is exactly what we are doing here today.
How to make Crispy & Fluffy Roast Potatoes
I only recently realised that, apart from the recipe for these Skin-On Roasted Potatoes, I haven’t published yet the recipe for the basic fluffy roasted potatoes that I make (no kidding) at least once a week!
One of the secrets to nail this humble yet irresistible preparation is cooking the potatoes in abundant vegetable oil, so that the outside gains its characteristic crispness. It can seem a futile or obvious tip, but believe me, it wasn’t as straightforward for me when I first started making them. My roasted potatoes always seemed to miss that oomph that makes all the difference. And I realised that the reason why I wasn’t able to nail them it was indeed the quantity of the oil, as I normally tend to cut down the fats (and sugars) of the recipes I follow. Although it might not seem the healthiest thing, it does really improve the result, so keep that in mind.
Some people or blogs may suggest to toss the potatoes in hot oil in order to better sear the edges and crispy them up, but from my own experience, this step can be easily skipped without anything to lose.
So we’ve talked about the importance of the fat, but the REAL secret of this preparation really consists to part cook the potatoes, just enough so that the edges start to lose their firmness.
Most people might boil them, but I find that steaming the potato chunks up to 10 minutes works as a real treat.
I peel the potatoes, cut into a roughly 5 cm chunks and I place them in a colander over a pot with water. Turn on the heat and bring the water to a boil, then steam for 8-10 minutes.
After steaming I lift up the colander and I begin to shake it to fluff up the edges. These are the rough edges that will catch the oil and cook to a much more crisp finish.
Alternatively, you can cook the potatoes in the Instant Pot following this guide.
This stunningly crunchy shell will hide away a perfectly fluffy interior.
Just a pinch of salt flakes over the piping hot potatoes before serving and you’re good to go.
You can flavour with your choice of herbs if you like. I sometimes like to keep them simple with just a sprig or two of rosemary.
Be warned: the potatoes carry a simply irresistible taste that will surely have you going back for more if no one else has got there first, so be quick.
Crispy & Fluffy Roast Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients:
1 kg Potatoes (Maris Piper or King Edwards)
100 g Vegetable Oil (Sunflower)
½ tbsp Salt Flakes
Pepper to taste
Fresh Rosemary
Method:
1. Preheat the oven at 220C/425F.
2. Peel the potatoes and chop into chunks of about 4-5 cm.
3. Place in a colander over a pan filled with cold water. Turn on the heat and as soon as the water starts to boil allow to steam for 8 minutes.
4. Gently shake the colander to fluff up the edges. Some may break during this step but don’t worry, they will taste spectacular anyway. Getting the fluffy edges will make them better absorb the fat and go super crispy on the outside while still being fluffy and soft inside.
5. Move the potatoes to a oven tray, making sure to form a single layer.
6. Pour the oil over the spuds, trying to wet every single one of the them. Season a pinch of salt, pepper to taste and add a few sprigs of rosemary.
7. Bake for 30-40 minutes, turning once or twice after the first 20 minutes of cooking, until golden brown and crispy.
8. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with salt flakes and finish with some fresh rosemary.
