Roasted potatoes are a staple on dinner plates across the UK at this time of year, whether it’s for a Sunday roast or a mid-week meal after work.
Roast potatoes are hugely popular (Image: Katherine McPhillips)
Roasted potatoes are a staple on dinner tables across the US during this season. Whether it’s for a Sunday roast or a quick weeknight meal, getting those spuds just right is crucial.
The ideal roasted potato boasts a crispy, golden exterior and a fluffy, creamy interior. But achieving this perfect balance can be a bit of a challenge without the right technique.
Luckily, one home cook has revealed a secret ingredient that will elevate your roasted potatoes to new heights. Molly Adams shared her tip on the website Simply Recipes, claiming this ingredient makes roasted potatoes as delicious as French fries.
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She stated: “I start with baby potatoes so I don’t have to bother peeling them, and I parboil them as the oven preheats so that the inside stays fluffy and the outside gets crispy.”
Roast potatoes should be crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.(Image: Getty)
While this is a standard starting point for any roasted potato recipe, Molly credits the addition of cornstarch for transforming her taters. She got the idea from a label on a bag of frozen French fries, reports the Express.
Molly elaborated: “Now, as many of you probably know, my kids are super picky. Even though they would eat French fries every night if I let them, roasted potatoes were a hard no for them.
“I’m unsure if you’ve ever tried reasoning with a six-year-old and a three-year-old… I could never convince my kids that roasted potatoes were basically the same as French fries.”
She added: “After closely inspecting the brand of frozen French fries I often buy, I realized that they are coated in a blend of starches to help crisp them up.
The secret ingredient is cornstarch(Image: Getty)
“So, I decided to give the method a shot with roasted potatoes. And it turns out, coating the potatoes with cornstarch is the secret to super crispy roasted potatoes!”.
She suggests dusting the potatoes with salt, black pepper, dried herbs, spices (like oregano and paprika), and cornstarch. She mentioned using “about a tablespoon of cornstarch for every 1 1/2 pounds of potatoes”.
Molly advises seasoning the potatoes liberally since the starch mutes the flavors. Once all the seasoning, including the cornstarch, has been applied, she suggests tossing the potatoes to ensure they’re uniformly coated.
Home cooks should then place them on an oiled baking sheet before tossing once more. The potatoes then bake in the oven at approximately 220C for 20 to 25 minutes.
Molly concluded: “The resulting potatoes are incredibly crisp on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside, and hold their shape well. I can’t say my kids prefer them to French fries, but they will eat them, which is a big win in my book.”
Dining and Cooking