Roast potatoes are many people’s favourite part of a roast dinner, and they can be cooked in several ways to make them crispy.
Philips’ air fryer chef Martin Senders has shared the three steps all home cooks must follow for delicious roast potatoes.
1. Dry the potatoes
The expert said: “After chopping or soaking your potatoes, make sure to give them a quick pat with some dry kitchen roll or paper towels, to get them as dry as possible.
“This helps to remove moisture, paving the way for an extra crispy roastie with that heavenly fluffy inside, as overly wet potatoes won’t crisp up well.”
2. Ensure you coat with an oil
Whilst one of the many benefits of cooking with an air fryer is that they use less oil than other cooking methods, it can be useful when cooking potatoes.
The expert recommended making sure the potatoes are evenly coated in an oil of your choice.
He said: “It’s crucial in achieving that perfect crisp. Spray or drizzle, it’s up to you.”
Oil sprays tend to be cheaper than bottled oil, with many available in supermarkets for as little as £1.20/.
3. Watch out for overcrowding
The air fryer pro said: “If you’re consistently stumped with why your potatoes aren’t crisping up, there’s a good chance that you’re overfilling your air fryer.
There’s a reason people say less is more. Overfilling your air fryer can stop the air from circulating properly and can cause the potatoes to cook unevenly.
“Make sure to give each potato ample space to ensure the perfect crispiness.
“If you’re cooking a big portion, cooking your chips in batches is an easy way to avoid overcrowding.”
Martin also shared a delicious crispy potato recipe with thyme to “add a touch of extra flavour” to your roast dinner this year.
Ingredients:
100g of Franceline potatoes
One teaspoon of thyme, fresh
One teaspoon of rosemary, fresh
Four tablespoons of olive oil
Three garlic cloves
One pinch of pepper
One pinch of Himalayan salt
Method:
Slice the potatoes into slices chop the thyme and rosemary very finely and mix with the olive oil and garlic.
Brush the oil and herbs over the potatoes and sprinkle them generously with pepper and salt
Place them into the air fryer basket before sliding the basket back in and cooking them for 25 minutes at 180C.
Make sure to shake the potatoes several times in between cooking to ensure an even crispy coat.
