If you’ve ever struggled to get that perfect roast potato with a crunchy exterior and tender interior, this ingredient will crisp them up properly.
Roast potatoes stand as the ultimate comfort food accompaniment, whether you’re serving them alongside pork chops during the week or preparing them for a Sunday roast. While making homemade roast potatoes is fairly straightforward, they can emerge soft, sodden, and oily if you fail to cook them with the proper ingredients.
Potatoes inherently hold substantial amounts of water which converts to steam while cooking in the oven, and should this dampness remain on the exterior then the oil cannot adequately crisp them. Nevertheless, Lindsay, a cook and creator of The Tasteful Pantry, has revealed there’s a remarkably simple method to guarantee potatoes that are “crunchy every time without fail” as you merely need to coat them with semolina.
Lindsay stated: “Semolina adds a gentle grainy texture that crisps up beautifully in the oven, giving the kind of crunch that ordinary roast potatoes rarely achieve.
“It’s the perfect trick if you’ve ever struggled to get that ideal roast – crispy exterior, tender interior, and just enough spice to keep things interesting.”
Semolina is a flour typically utilised for making pasta, bread or even pizza dough, though it’s also employed in roasting fish and potatoes as it’s renowned for creating a perfectly crispy skin.
Its very coarse nature means it performs exceptionally well on potatoes and is also highly absorbent, which enables it to draw considerable moisture from the surface.
Keeping the potatoes as dry as possible during oven cooking prevents them from steaming, allowing them to cook more effectively in the oil.
Using semolina not only stops the potatoes from turning soggy, but also begins to toast in the oven, resulting in a perfectly caramelised exterior with wonderfully crispy edges.
How to make crispier roast potatoes
You will need:
- 1kg of potatoes
- 120ml of oil
- Two tablespoons of semolina
- One teaspoon of salt
- Half a teaspoon of garlic powder
- Half a teaspoon of onion powder
- Hal a teaspoon of oregano
- Half a teaspoon of paprika
- A quarter teaspoon of pepper
While any oil of your choosing is suitable for roast potatoes, those with a high smoke point, such as sunflower, vegetable, or rapeseed oil, tend to yield the finest results. Alternatives such as duck fat, goose fat or beef drippings are equally acceptable.
Method:
Begin by preheating your oven to 210C, ensuring you have a deep roasting dish large enough to accommodate all the potatoes in a single layer.
Pour your chosen oil into the deep dish and place it in the oven for 10 minutes. It is crucial that the oil reaches a high temperature before the potatoes are added, as this forms a crust and delivers a crispier finish.
Meanwhile, peel and halve the potatoes. Transfer them to a large pot of water and bring to the boil. Allow them to cook for approximately 10 minutes until fork-tender, yet still firm in the centre.
Drain the potatoes thoroughly, then return them to the empty pot. Without applying any heat, use a fork or tongs to gently toss the potatoes around.
This process slightly roughens the surface of the potatoes, creating more edges once they enter the oven, ultimately producing an exceptionally crunchy exterior.
Next, combine the semolina, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, paprika and pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle the semolina mixture over the potatoes, then give the pot a shake to coat them evenly.
Remove the baking dish from the oven, then carefully transfer the potatoes into it. Using tongs, turn each potato to ensure all sides are covered in oil, then tip any leftover seasoning from the pot into the dish.
Place the potatoes in the oven for 20 minutes, then flip them over and cook for a further 10 minutes.
When you remove the potatoes from the oven, they should be sizzling, deep golden brown and boasting a wonderfully crispy skin.
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