Roast potatoes will be crispy if you add cupboard item before oven cooking

Roast potatoes hold a special place in the nation's heart as an essential component of a Sunday dinner — combining a satisfying crunch, rich flavour, and warmth in every mouthful. Their irresistible appeal lies in being gloriously crispy on the outside while remaining delightfully fluffy on the inside.

Roast potatoes are great at absorbing the flavours of the other elements of a traditional Sunday roast, be it the gravy, cooking oil, or aromatic herbs. Roast potatoes also complement virtually everything and can be served alongside roast beef, chicken, lamb, sausages, or vegetables — they have an uncanny ability to make any meal feel truly complete.

Better still, the recipe can be adjusted according to the number of diners you're catering for, requiring just seven straightforward steps. There is, however, one crucial stage in the recipe that cooks must follow to guarantee the fluffiest possible potatoes, reports the Express.

Ingredients

• As many potatoes as you think you need, and then a few more.
• Enough oil for a 2mm layer across the roasting tin. They prefer olive oil or vegetable oil to keep it veggie, but you can use goose or duck fat if you prefer.
• A tablespoon of flour – more if you’re cooking for an army
• Fresh and dried rosemary
• Sea salt

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place a roasting tin, large enough for all your potatoes to touch the base, inside the oven to heat up.

Peel and cut your white potatoes in half if they are small, in quarters or sixths if they are large. For most of the potatoes, you will probably need to quarter them.

Place your potatoes in a cold pan of water on the hob, seasoning generously with salt, and set the heat to its highest temperature. At this stage, add your oil to the hot roasting tin. Once the water reaches a boil, reduce the heat and allow the potatoes to simmer for a further minute.

Drain the potatoes thoroughly, dust with flour and give them a vigorous shake. This step is absolutely crucial!

You're looking for the edges of the potatoes to appear fluffy, ensuring they soak up the oil effectively. Carefully transfer the potatoes into the hot oil and scatter with dried rosemary. Roast for 15 minutes, then turn and roast for a further 15 minutes.

Turn once more, this time adding a scattering of fresh rosemary, then return to the oven for an additional 15 minutes. If they appear golden and crisp at this point, they're ready!

Finish with a sprinkling of sea salt and serve alongside the rest of your dinner.