French fries. Our relationship is on and off.
This means I eat them every month, then swear off their consumption until the next time we meet.
But I have recently mastered how to make fries super crispy at home without frying. Score! Thank goodness. Now we can see each other more often.
Before, I baked French fries, which required soaking them in warm water prior to baking. It’s just too much work and time, I think! They are put straight in the oven at a high temperature for maximum crispiness.
The matchstick shape, combined with the high temperature, helps to cook them faster and achieve that golden brown crisp. Matchsticks are the way to go for that crispy, golden texture.
To add another layer of flavor, I sauteed minced garlic with olive oil and tossed it in the frying pan as soon as it came out of the oven. This step is optional, but it adds a lot of zest and flavor.
Ingredients
- Three to four medium russet potatoes, cleaned and dried.
- 1/4 cup olive or avocado oil
- Black pepper + sea salt – 1 pinch
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
- Three cloves of garlic (minced).
- 1 or 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary ( optional// roughly chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (232 C).
- Cut potatoes into matchsticks after halving them, and then split them again before cutting them into wedges and, finally strips.
- Spray nonstick spray generously on two baking sheets lined with parchment or foil (make sure the type of paper you use is safe for temperatures up to 450 F/232 C).
- Add the fries, along with a generous amount of oil, sea salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Toss in the oil.
- Arrange the fries in a single layer, making sure that they don’t touch too much. This will make them cook more evenly and crispier.
- To ensure even baking, flip/toss the pies at least once. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes.
- In the final 10 minutes, add the garlic and 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil to a small saucepan on medium heat (amount according to the original recipe // adjust the amount if you change the batch size). Stirring frequently, sauté until the garlic is just barely brown. This will awaken the flavor.
- Remove from heat, and put aside.
- Add more flavor to the fries by adding rosemary a second time.