Oven Baked Fries — Stitches & folly

Without a doubt, I have a potato problem. I could eat a potato a day and never be mad about it. The problem is, my favorite way to eat a potato is as a fry. Clearly not the healthiest way to consume a potato, but who can resist a good fry? I have tried making fries before and they never turned out quite right, but I’ve been working on this for years and I have finally mastered all the little tricks to baking a crispy delicious french fry.

Tip 1 || Maybe the most important tip is to soak the potatoes after they have been cut. Don't skip this, is reduces the amount of starch and makes for a crispier potato. I typically soak mine for an hour, changing the water out every so often.

Tip 2 || Using a mandolin for cutting the potatoes make them consistent in size and shape and easier to bake.

Tip 3 || Use parchment paper while cooking the fries. This helps the outside get crispy and makes cleanup a breeze. I would not recommend foil, they end up sticking and it results in a mess.

Tip 4 || Don't overcrowd the pan. The fries needs some space to get crispy, overcrowding them leads to not as crisp fries, and then you will be sad.

Ingredients:

3-4 russet potatoes

2 - 3 Tbsp olive oil

Salt &pepper (or other seasonings you desire)

Directions:

1. Scrub your potatoes, and then cut using a mandolin or by hand. Trying to keep the size as consistent as possible. With the mandolin my fries come out 1/4" thick.

2. Put the fries in a cold water bath for at least 1 hour (often I'll change the water out maybe once, this is totally not necessary, but it makes me happy).

3. After the hour drain the potatoes and pat dry. DRY THEM WELL, if you don’t your potatoes won’t crisp up as much as they will steam.

4. Toss with 2-3 Tbsp of olive oil, and arrange on a tray (or 2) ensuring the potatoes are not being crowded.

5. Bake at 400 F for 30 minutes, and then flip the fries. Turn the heat up to 425 F and bake for another 20 minutes. When I use the convection setting, I put them in at 375 F and they are typically done a bit quicker. The timing of course depends on how thick or thin you cut your fries!