:: The Biting Crunch ::

Megann’s Oven Baked Crunchy Chips

:: Megann’s Kitchen ::

:: 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.

:: 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.

:: drain cooked potato using a sieve ::

:: promptly push through the cooked & softened potato with a spatula ::

:: add flavour properties such as chives ::

:: toss to coat the potato batons - then drizzle with olive oil ::

:: place onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper & into a hot oven ::

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.

:: 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.

:: 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.

:: golden brown chips, fresh out of the oven ::