Megann’s Oven Baked Crunchy Chips
:: Megann’s Kitchen ::
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| :: the best ever recipe for my oven baked crunchy chips/fries :: |
Studying at Uni, I was a typical poor
student surviving on whatever I could afford, which wasn’t much. There was one
vegetable that I made sure that I always had in my cupboard for energy,
strength & stamina & it was the humble potato. If I couldn’t afford
cheese to put on top I had butter, if I was out of butter the potato was a
winner just on its own. More recently, potatoes were one of the few things that I could stomach through
terrible bouts of morning (all day)
sickness. Yes, the mighty potato & I have been through some memorable times
together.
I know this is a kitchen basic, but oven
baked hand cut chips are one of my all time favourites. I endeavoured
for years to find the perfect recipe - experimenting with various flours, high
temp, low temp, parboiling, steaming, even polenta for a biting crunch.
However, it was when I applied my own principles of making crunchy roast potatoes
that I finally had success. It is simple, really!
I peel & cut my potatoes into batons & use the leftover pieces to make
a mash to coat the chips. Season, drizzle with olive oil, into a very hot oven & that, my friends, is the making of
a perfectly healthy home-style chip that the entire family will love.
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| :: season the potato batons with sea salt & cracked pepper :: |
desired quantity of large potatoes
- peeled & cut into chip-like
batons (saving the clean off cuts)
sea salt
pepper
olive oil
Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F). Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Cut your desired quantity of peeled potatoes into large chip batons, placing into a bowl. Insert the potato off cuts into boiling water for approximately 10 minutes, or until very soft. Drain into a sieve, then pass through that sieve into the bowl of chips with a kitchen spoon or spatula. Season with sea salt & pepper & toss to create a fine, fluffy coating for the potatoes. Once adequately coated, drizzle with olive oil & toss again. Place onto prepared baking tray & bake in the oven for about 40-45 minutes, or until golden, turning once at the 30 minute mark.
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| :: drain cooked potato using a sieve :: |
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| :: promptly push through the cooked & softened potato with a spatula :: |
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| :: add flavour properties such as chives :: |
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| :: toss to coat the potato batons - then drizzle with olive oil :: |
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:: place onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper & into a hot oven ::
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Kitchen Notes
:: I like to add another flavour dimension
with finely chopped chives when
coating the chips with the sieved potato.
:: Another great way to flavour your chips
& add some extra crunch is when turning them at the 30 minute mark, finely grate some parmesan cheese over the top of them. This makes a crunchy, cheesy,
dry coating. Divine!
:: When making a medley of vegetables
chips, I use the same method & also coat carrot chips & sweet
potato chips with the sieved potato. Just be careful of the different
cooking times as carrots sometimes take longer & sweet potatoes are
shorter.
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| :: serve in an individual bowl :: |
Quick Kitchen
:: Short of time? I make this recipe as
potato bravas by cutting them into cubes, which shortens the cooking time by a
third.
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| :: serve with tomato ketchup & light sour cream - a great combination :: |
Style & Serve
:: I love to serve my potato chips in an individual
bowl lined with baking paper with tomato
ketchup & an old individual favourite, light sour cream.
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| :: golden brown chips, fresh out of the oven :: |
