Crispy Roast Potatoes

Ingredients

• 400 g potatoes (Maris Piper, Yukon Gold, or any floury potato)
• 3 tbsp olive oil (or duck fat / goose fat if you have it)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (optional)
• 2 cloves garlic, whole and lightly crushed (optional)

---

Instructions

1. Preheat

1. Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F).
2. Pour the olive oil (or fat) into a roasting tray and place it in the oven to get hot.

2. Prep the potatoes

1. Peel the potatoes (or leave skins on if you prefer).
2. Cut into even-sized pieces — quarters or eighths depending on size. Aim for golf-ball sized chunks.
3. Place in a pot of cold salted water.
4. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes — just to parboil, not fully cook.
5. Drain well in a colander.

3. Rough up the edges

1. Give the potatoes a gentle shake in the colander to rough up the surfaces.
2. The fluffy, roughened edges are what become crispy in the oven.
3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss.

4. Roast

1. Carefully remove the hot tray from the oven — the oil should be shimmering.
2. Add the potatoes to the hot oil. They should sizzle on contact.
3. Turn each piece to coat in oil on all sides.
4. Spread in a single layer, don’t crowd.
5. Roast for 30–35 minutes, turning once halfway through.
6. Add the rosemary and garlic for the last 10 minutes.
7. They’re done when deep golden and crispy outside, fluffy inside.

5. Serve

1. Remove from the oven.
2. Drain briefly on kitchen paper if needed.
3. Serve immediately — they lose crispiness as they sit.

---

Tips

• The secret is rough edges. Shaking the parboiled potatoes in the colander creates a fluffy surface that crisps up beautifully. Don’t skip this.
• Hot fat is essential. Putting potatoes into cold oil = soggy. Putting them into shimmering hot oil = crispy.
• Parboiling matters. It pre-cooks the inside so you get fluffy centers while the outside crisps. Raw potatoes in the oven take longer and don’t fluff up as well.
• Duck fat is next level. If you ever see it at the shops, try it once. It’s a game-changer.

---

Variations

Variation	Change	Notes
Garlic and Parmesan	Add 2 tbsp grated Parmesan and 1 tsp garlic powder after roasting	Toss while hot
Smoked paprika	Add 1 tsp smoked paprika with the salt and pepper	Spanish flair
With onions	Add 1 onion, cut into wedges, to the tray	Sweet and caramelized
Crushed	After roasting, gently crush each potato with a spatula, return to oven for 5 min	Extra crispy, maximum surface area

---

Result

Golden, crunchy-on-the-outside, fluffy-on-the-inside roast potatoes with a hint of rosemary and garlic. The ultimate side dish — crispy potatoes done right.