Two weeks ago, Joanna returned from visiting her family in England and shared several stunning photos with us: London! The ocean floats! Potato!!! The last one stopped me in my tracks; I immediately sent Joe a whole message, asking for the recipe for his cousin Livi’s fabulous roasted potatoes. Thankfully, I wasn’t alone (readers, I knew I could count on you!). So, the other day, I spoke on the phone with Livi herself, and got all the tips and tricks.
“I call them Dilly Roast Potatoes, because that’s how our grandfather – Dilly – used to make them when we were kids,” she told me. “He spent hours peeling potatoes while everyone else was out on the boat at sea. We came back absolutely hungry and dived into the pile of potatoes.” dreamy Fry the potatoes.” Here’s how to make them yourself…
Step 1. Start with the right potatoes
“It largely depends,” says Livi. “I use Maris Piper potatoes, which is a very British variety, but wherever you live, just look at the type of potatoes used for fries.” FYI, my fellow Americans, the best choices for Maris Piper are Russet potatoes or Yukon Gold. Livi adds: “I often get the generic bags at the supermarket that just say ‘roast potatoes’. You want something that will puff up when cooked – that’s how you get good roasties.”
Step 2. Peel, chop and parboil.
Keep a large pot of water on the stove to boil. While it’s heating, peel your potatoes and cut them into small pieces. “You want them fairly thick,” says Livi. “For a medium potato, you’ll probably cut it in half. For larger potatoes, cut them into quarters. When the water boils, add the potatoes and let them boil for 7-10 minutes.” Test them gently with a fork after about 7 minutes; They should be soft on the outside, with a hard, raw center. Once they are cooked, drain them and leave them in a colander.
Step 3. Preheat your oil.
“Now this is the trick. You have to heat the oil in the roasting pan before adding the potatoes. I fill an aluminum roasting pan with 1-1.5cm of sunflower oil, turn the oven on to about 165°C (330°F), and let the oil heat for 5-10 minutes, until it’s nice and hot. If you’re using a thicker roasting pan like ceramic, you’ll need to heat it longer. It may take a while to heat up. The main thing is that you want the potatoes to be flaky when you add them. Any oil with a high smoke point will do, and Livi usually uses sunflower oil because it’s readily available. “My mom used to use goose fat at Christmas, because it’s a classic, festive treat. But it’s quite thick, and has a very strong flavor – and I never have it anyway. Just don’t use olive oil, as it has a low smoke point!”
Step 4. Fry light and long – and turn often
Once the oil is hot, carefully add the potatoes to the pan and let them “slide” into the oil. “This way they get nice and coated back in the oven. Leave them to roast for about an hour, turning the pan regularly (about every 15 minutes). Doing it this way – over low heat, for a long time, with frequent turning – it gets you that golden, gorgeously roasted exterior. It’s almost like when you’re roasting something, and rotating it so each side cooks evenly. Go.”
Step 5. Season well with salt and serve.
Check the potatoes after an hour. They should be dark golden in the center and soft when poked with a fork. “I put them in a bowl, Then Give them salt,” Livy says. “I like the crunchy kind of sea salt (rather than coarse salt like Himalayan), because it sticks to hot potatoes so well.”
Thanks so much, Livi (and Dilly)! I can’t wait to try this method! Do you have a family potato recipe (or other type of recipe) you want to share? We love potatoes!!!
PS Want something to add to your pile of roasties? How about Lulu’s favorite carrot soup, or salmon (for beginners)?
