Roast potatoes are a beloved accompaniment that many eagerly anticipate with their Sunday dinner, yet they can easily emerge from the oven oily rather than crisp and golden. What most cooks fail to realise is that achieving that perfect crunch actually begins with the boiling process, and it involves more than simply placing them in a pan with water.
Maria Koutsogiannis, founder of Food by Maria, has shared that the secret to achieving wonderfully crunchy roasties is adding a teaspoon of baking soda to the boiling water. She explained: “It has taken me years to try and figure this out, and I finally found the trick to nailing that perfect potato consistency. My secret weapon for nailing that consistency? Boiling and baking soda.”
Baking soda is slightly alkaline and increases the pH level of the boiling water, which assists in breaking down the starches on the potato’s outer surface.
This produces a coarser texture with additional edges, creating a greater surface area for the oil to adhere to while roasting.
The roast potatoes will then caramelise magnificently in the oven, leaving you with a crackling and crispy exterior.
Incorporating baking soda into your potatoes is a traditional yet remarkably effective method that can transform your roasties, whether you’re preparing them for a weeknight meal or already planning your Christmas banquet.
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To start, fill a large pot with water and add one tablespoon of baking soda. Salt is also required, with the quantity dependent on the size of your pot, though roughly one tablespoon per litre of water is needed.
Bring the pot to a high heat until the water is boiling, then add the potatoes and parboil for 10 minutes. While the potatoes are cooking, preheat the oven to 220C and line two trays with baking paper.
Once the time is up, drain the potatoes and transfer them to a large bowl. Add the onion granules, grated garlic, oil, butter, and season with a little salt and pepper.
Gently combine everything together until the roast potatoes are thoroughly coated, then arrange them on the prepared trays. Using two trays ensures each potato has sufficient space and none are overlapping.
Place the potatoes cut-side down on the tray and roast in the oven for 30 minutes. Once the time is up, flip the potatoes over and season with thyme.
Continue cooking for a further 20 minutes, and upon removing them from the oven, you should find they are considerably crispier and more flavoursome than any other home-cooked roast potatoes you have previously made.
