Fried potatoes, boiled potatoes, potato salad, mashed potatoes, potato cake or crispy potatoes… how good potatoes are. I would eat them in every way, even just boiled with no seasoning. But when they are crispy… what a craving!
If you have been reading me for a long time you already know this recipe well, one of the first on my blog. Precisely because it is so old I decided to rewrite it to make it clearer and easier to follow.
Do you think potatoes make you gain weight? Not exactly… It’s true that compared to other vegetables they have a higher caloric value but not by much. In fact we are talking about just 1 Weight Watchers Propoints for 50 g of potatoes versus pasta which is 1 point for every 10 g.
But while with 6 points of pasta you might feel you ate little, 6 points of potatoes are 300 g: a whole different story! And another major factor that makes potatoes very caloric is the cooking method. Typically fats are used to dress potatoes and they are often deep-fried in plenty of oil. That’s when potatoes become a calorie bomb!
But including potatoes in your diet is good because they are full of vitamins and minerals contained in the flesh: vitamin C, B5 and potassium are the main ones. They also contain fiber just like pasta or cereals, although peeling them partially removes some fiber. In fact when I use potatoes with thin skin I don’t peel them: I buy organic potatoes and wash them very well with a brush.
Be smart and don’t buy ready-fried potatoes or prefried frozen ones. Make these crispy potatoes and with just 1 teaspoon of oil you’ll both eat your fill! You can’t use less dressing than that. And if you have an air fryer they’ll be even tastier and crispier than in the oven.
You’ll find many tasty ideas with potatoes here:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 2 Servings
- Cooking methods: Air frying
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 1.1 lbs potatoes (yellow-fleshed)
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil (1 measuring teaspoon)
- to taste salt
- to taste spices (to taste)
- Points per serving = 6 WW points
Tools
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Pot
- Colander
- Bowl
- Peeler
- Air fryer
Steps
Clean the potatoes well, peel them (or not, depending on your preference) and cut them into slices not too thick, into wedges or into sticks.
Soak them in cold water for about ten minutes so that the potatoes lose some of their starch. Then drain them well and place them in a pot full of cold water with a little salt.
Put the pot on the heat and bring to a boil. Let them boil for a few minutes: the potatoes should only be slightly par-cooked. Drain them and run them under cold water to stop the cooking.
Put the potatoes in a large bowl and add one teaspoon of oil. If you like you can also add dried spices such as rosemary, thyme, sweet paprika or others.
Mix well with your hands so that all the potatoes are well coated. You won’t believe it but if you use your hands a single teaspoon of oil will be enough to evenly oil all the potatoes.
I still remember that when I published this recipe in August 2012 I even avoided mentioning this appliance believing I couldn’t name it on the blog. I was a pioneer of the air fryer and I bought the very first Philips Airfryer about 11 years ago. And even though I now have the larger XXL version, the old small Airfryer still works perfectly and my son took it when he moved out…
Enough chatter. Put the previously seasoned potatoes directly into the air fryer basket, close it and cook them for about 20 minutes at 356°F.
If you have an older or less powerful model then I recommend preheating the fryer for a couple of minutes and then increasing the temperature to 392°F.
During cooking pause and shake the basket. Doing this a couple of times in total will be enough to ensure more even cooking of the potatoes.
Preheat your oven to the highest possible temperature (428–482°F). Spread the seasoned potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper so they don’t overlap too much (otherwise cook in two batches). Put in the oven and turn the potatoes a couple of times.
It will take about 30-40 minutes depending on the oven: when they are nicely golden they are ready.
At the end place the potatoes while still hot on a large plate and add salt to taste. These crispy potatoes are an ideal source of carbohydrates to enjoy together with some protein and vegetables for a tasty and complete meal.
As you can see from the photos, you can cut the potatoes however you like: into rounds, sticks or wedges.
In the photo below I left the potatoes with all the skin on and I prefer them that way!
They look very tempting, don’t they? Let me know what shape you cut your crispy potatoes in the comments below or on my Facebook club, I’ll be waiting for your photos.
Enjoy!
by Giovanna Buono
Tips
Once again, do not skip the par-boiling step. I never really cook a lot with steam, but instead of boiling you can also steam them for a few minutes.
Here in the Netherlands, where potatoes are like pasta in Italy, there are fresh products that I sometimes bought to make crispy potatoes, but they cost more so I usually avoid them.
They are bags of potatoes already cut and slightly boiled, without added fats or salt. In fact they expire within a couple of days and are meant to be bought and prepared.
If you can find them in Italy too, those are perfect for when you don’t have time to do all the preparation!
