I’m kind of a french fry snob. If it isn’t hot, crispy, and properly seasoned, I’m not eating it. That’s part of the reason I don’t often cook fries at home. My steak fries always turned out mushy. My hash browns were half crispy, half mush. But my husband likes potatoes (he is convinced they are a vegetable and therefore healthy) so I decided to try and find a way to make really good homemade fries.
I searched the internet via Pinterest for recipes that promised crispy fries. I took tips from many of those recipes, tried them out, and… we had hot, crispy, properly seasoned, better-than-McDonald’s fries. This recipe is very simple but it does take some preparation, so it’s best for times when you can plan accordingly.
To make fries of your own, you will need:
4-5 potatoes, depending on how many you are serving. I’d say a medium-sized potato is one hearty serving of fries.
Extra virgin olive oil
Seasonings of your choice – I used garlic salt, black pepper, and parsley
Parmesan cheese
First, peel your potatoes.
Cut the potatoes into fry-sized pieces. This is where I shamelessly plug Bosch mixers. Seriously, this is my all-time favorite kitchen toy. I can make a triple batch of cookie dough, enough bread dough for six loaves, or shred chicken in less than a minute with the mixing bowl. I use the blender every morning to make pancake batter for breakfast. And the vegetable slicer/shredder makes cutting food a breeze. My potatoes were cut in about thirty seconds.
If you prefer wedges or slices over a french-fry cut, I think you could easily adjust the recipe and cooking time.
This is an important step. Soak the potatoes in ice cold water for 30 minutes. This is really what keeps them from turning to mush.
Preheat your oven to 450ºF. Remove the potatoes to a towel and pat dry. Put potatoes in a plastic bag and add 1-2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Seal the bag and shake to coat.
Add the seasonings of your choice and about 3 Tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. The cheese helps make the fries crispy and crunchy!
Seal the bag again and shake to coat.
Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the potatoes out on the paper.
Bake for about 35 minutes or until they begin to turn golden and crispy.
Serve with dipping sauce and a juicy bacon cheeseburger! At least, that’s our favorite way to eat them…