Everyone has their unique method of preparing and cooking roast potatoes, with some opting for herbs, baking soda or animal fats.
However, using numerous ingredients can often overcomplicate the process making cooking roast potatoes more challenging than necessary to achieve optimal results.
Michelin-trained chef Poppy O’Toole has simplified the process by sharing her “ultimate roasties” recipe that requires just three ingredients and guarantees “perfect spuds every time.” Poppy insisted that this is the “only roast potato you need in your life”.
Since trying them out last year, this has been the only way I’ve cooked my roasties.
As the recipe only requires potatoes, salt and vegetable oil it will save you a trip to the supermarket.
Ingredients
Four Maris Piper potatoes peeled and cut into equal-sized chunks
100ml vegetable oil
A generous amount of salt
Method
I began by peeling the potatoes and cutting each one into four roughly equal-sized pieces.
After chopping the potatoes, I rinsed them under cold water in a pan. This step helps to wash off any excess starch and ensures the potatoes crisp up nicely in the oven.
After rinsing, I filled the pan with cold water, added salt and put the potatoes on to boil for 15 minutes. A knife can be used to check if they’re done – you don’t want them too soft as they won’t hold their shape.
Next, I drained the potatoes and let them steam dry in a colander covered with a tea towel for another 15 minutes. This step is crucial as it “makes them extra fluffy”.
While the potatoes were drying, I preheated the oven to 220C Fan, added oil to the baking tray and placed it in the oven to heat up for five minutes.
After 15 minutes, I tossed the potatoes in the colander to fluff them up before carefully transferring them to the hot tray with the oil. Using a spoon, I ensured all sides of the potatoes were coated in oil before popping them in the oven for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, I removed the potatoes from the oven and reduced the temperature to 180C Fan. I turned the potatoes and returned them to the oven for 15 minutes.
The cooking time may vary, so keep an eye on them. After 15 minutes, I found that my potatoes needed an extra 10 minutes to be perfectly cooked.
Finally, I took them out of the oven for the last time, revealing golden and crunchy potatoes. To finish, I sprinkled over a bit more salt.
Upon sampling, the roasties were perfectly crunchy on the outside while maintaining a soft and fluffy interior.
