Garlic, Parmesan and herb roast potatoes topped with fragrant oil
- Prepare
- less than 30 mins
- Cook
- 30 mins to 1 hour
- Serve
- Serves 6–8
The crispiest Maris Pipers are roasted with rosemary, Parmesan and garlic and then finished off with a herb and lemon oil for maximum flavour. The perfect side for roast chicken or turkey.
Each serving provides 121 kcal, 0.1g protein, 0.2g carbohydrate (of which 0g sugars), 14g fat (of which 0.9g saturates), 0g fibre and 0g salt.
Ingredients
For the roast potatoes
For the fragrant oil
Method
To make the roast potatoes, place the potatoes in a large saucepan of salted water and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for about 15 minutes, or until tender on the outside but still firm in the centre. The potatoes should reach the point of almost breaking as this will result in the best texture.
Tip into a colander to drain then give them a shake to rough up the edges. Transfer to a large baking tray to air dry and firm up.
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.
Add the oil or fat in a generous layer in a roasting tin and place in the oven to heat until shimmering. Carefully add the potatoes to the hot fat. Turn to coat in the oil and season with salt.
Roast for about 40–50 minutes, or until deep golden and crisp. Turn once or twice during cooking for an even colour.
Meanwhile, make the fragrant oil. Heat all the ingredients, except the sugar and salt, in a saucepan over a low heat. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Let the oil bubble gently, but do not allow it to burn. It should slowly infuse for around 15–30 minutes. Season with a little salt and the sugar then leave to cool to room temperature.
Once the potatoes are cooked, add the garlic, Parmesan and rosemary to the roasting tin. Mix well and then cook for another 5 minutes. Drain away any excess fat.
Spoon the fragrant oil over the roast potatoes and toss to coat. Finish with lots of grated Parmesan and serve.
Recipe tips
You need enough fat to generously cover the bottom of the roasting tin once it's hot. Exactly how much will depend on the size of your tray and, if you are using beef dripping or goose fat, you'll need to melt it before you will know for sure.
When par-boiling, it's important to simmer the potatoes gently rather than boiling them. If they are cooked too vigorously they will break down rather than soften.
When making the fragrant oil, you can add more oil and keep it in the fridge for future use. You can also add sesame seeds, crispy onions and chilli flakes to the oil as a chilli crunch for the roast potatoes.
