Tired of roast potatoes that are soft and lackluster? Renowned chef Mary Berry has a secret weapon for achieving perfectly crispy potatoes every time: semolina. This simple ingredient adds an extra layer of crunch to the outside while keeping the inside fluffy and delicious.
Mary Berry’s recipe, featured on BBC Good Food, emphasizes the importance of par-boiling and roughing up the potatoes before roasting. This creates a rough surface that allows the semolina to adhere, creating a crispy outer layer. The recipe notes state: “A roast potato should be ultra crispy and golden on the outside with a fluffy light middle.”
Here’s how to make Mary Berry’s crispy roast potatoes:
Ingredients:
* 1.5kg potatoes, peeled and cut into medium-sized cubes
* 40g semolina
* Four tablespoons of goose fat or vegetable oil
* Three thyme sprigs
* Salt
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 220C or 200C Fan.
2. Place potatoes in a saucepan of cold salted water and bring to a boil. Boil for around five minutes, until they start to soften around the edges.
3. Drain the potatoes thoroughly in a colander and return them to the saucepan. Shake the saucepan to roughen up the edges of the potatoes.
4. Sprinkle in the semolina and shake again to coat the potatoes evenly.
5. Preheat a large, shallow roasting tin in the oven until hot.
6. Add the fat to the tin and heat for around five minutes, or until smoking.
7. Carefully add the potatoes to the hot tin, turning them in the fat to coat them evenly. Scatter the thyme sprigs over the potatoes.
8. Return the tin to the oven and roast for 45 to 55 minutes, turning the potatoes halfway through, until they are golden brown and crisp.
Tips:
* You can prepare the potatoes up to 12 hours ahead of serving. Part-roast them for 35 minutes until golden, then before serving, roast them again in a hot oven for about 20 minutes.
* Semolina is an affordable ingredient, costing around £1.40 for a 500g bag. You only need 40g for this recipe, making it a budget-friendly addition.
With Mary Berry’s simple trick, you can enjoy perfectly crispy roast potatoes that will impress your guests and elevate any meal.
