Roasties (Roast Potatoes)

This week on Sunday Funday, we've been asked to cook with a root or roots.   Mayuri is our hostess this week.  

 I've made these a few times now.  Roasties, so totally and completely YUM, and so easy to make as well

 

In fact, the last time I made them, they disappeared so fast, even though I thought I'd made a lot, it wasn't enough.  Lesson learned, next time I'll make more, but in the meantime, I've had a craving for them, so I decided that they would make a nice side dish with a steak.   These are pretty British in origin, but they translate well to this side of the pond.   And then I forgot to take the steak out of the freezer so I subbed in a pork chop.  

Let's use some magic buzzwords here as well; they can be vegan, and they're also Gluten-free.  

Personally, I like making them with beef fat, but I've also made them successfully with oil.  Your choice...

Potatoes have got to be one of the most perfect foods.  You can turn it into candy, all the way up to some lovely fermented vodka.  You can mash, fry, bake, and boil them as well.   My late husband loved mashed potatoes, so when I made potatoes, I mashed them for him.    Personally, I love a plain boiled red potato with some butter.  One of my mom's favorite open-faced sandwiches was a layer of fresh, boiled new potatoes on a slice of rye bread.  As a kid, I never could understand why she liked it so much, but as an adult,  I understand.

Which brings us to these little and not-so-little nuggets of deliciousness. 

  Usually served alongside a nice Sunday roast, which is about the perfect thing for the Sunday Funday bloggers.   

Did I mention they're not just delicious but also easy to make?  Cause they are and look and taste amazing, perfect for impressing, if you need to.  

And most people will have the right kind of potato in the house already, at least if you buy russets.   One note here, red potatoes or any kind of firm waxy potato will not work as well here.  I use Russets or Yukon Gold potatoes.   I had some Russet potatoes in the pantry, but they decided they needed a second life and sprouted.

They're heading out to the back yard and will be put into a pot of dirt, ready for their second life.  I bought some Yukon Potatoes for this recipe, and they worked well.  

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees or 400 if using a convection oven.  Melt the beef fat if using, and prepare a baking sheet by spraying it with some non-stick spray. Peel the potatoes and quarter them.  I add them to some salted boiling water and cook them for about 8-10 minutes. 

Just long enough for the outer edge of the potatoes to cook.  Take them off the heat, drain them, then let them sit for a couple of minutes so that any excess water can steam off.    You can then either shake the pan with the potatoes in it vigorously.

Or put the potatoes into a large bowl that you can shake.   I should have put mine into a large bowl to shake. I ended up shaking them so hard that a couple of pieces of potato jumped out of the pot and ended up on the floor.   You do this so that the outer layer of the semi-cooked potatoes looks a little like they're kinda mashed.    You do want them roughed up a lot.  At this point, I pour the melted beef fat over the potatoes and toss again.   

Then I distribute them evenly on a baking sheet, separating them so they have a chance to roast.  Then into the oven for 20 minutes, after which I'll use a thin spatula (my fish spatula works well here) to loosen and turn the potatoes over, and then let them cook for another 20-30 minutes or until they're a lovely golden brown.  

The outer crust of these roasties is crisp, and the interior is so creamy and delicious. 

You can infuse the fat with some garlic and rosemary for an extra flavor boost, as it's melting, just drain it through a sieve before adding to the potatoes. If you don't, you risk the garlic becoming very bitter and acrid.   I tried it and decided that next time I'll up the garlic. 

No real recipe to follow, just do you.   I made enough potatoes for myself for dinner, but a word of warning here.  Make more potatoes than you think you'll need; they will go fast. 

Check out what my fellow Sunday Funday bloggers are sharing:

Cook With Renu: Beetroot Paneer Rice With Leftover Rice (Easy Lunchbox Recipe) 

Sizzling Tastebuds : High Protein Beetroot Burgers 

Sneha's Recipe: Ginger Almond & Poppy Seed Vadi 

Amy's Cooking Adventures: Roasted Beet Galette 

Sid's Sea Palm Cooking: Roasties 

Mayuri's Jikoni : Arbi Ka Paratha 

Food Lust People Love: Chantenay Carrot Ginger Soup 

Karen's Kitchen Stories: Parsnip and Leek Soup with Cumin and Mustard Seeds 

Making Miracles: Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie 

Mildly Indian: Alu kangmet |Manipuri potato mash