French fries, boiled potatoes, potato salad, mashed potatoes, potato gratin or crunchy chips… how delicious potatoes are. I would eat them in any way, even just boiled without any seasoning. But when they are crunchy… what a craving! If you’ve been reading me for a long time, you already know this recipe well, one of the first on my blog. Precisely because it’s so old, I’ve decided to rewrite it to make it more readable and clear.
Do you think potatoes make you gain weight? Not quite… It’s true that compared to other vegetables they have a slightly higher calorie count, but not that much. In fact, we’re talking about just 1 Weight Watchers Propoint for 50 g of potatoes compared to pasta which is 1 point for every 10 grams. But while with 6 points of pasta you feel like you’ve eaten very little, 6 points of potatoes are 300 g: a whole different story! And then the other big factor that makes potatoes very caloric is the method of preparation. Typically, fats are used to season potatoes, and they are often fried in plenty of oil. Then yes, potatoes become a calorie bomb!
But integrating potatoes into your diet is good since they are full of vitamins and minerals contained in the flesh: vitamins C, B5, and potassium are the main ones. They also have fiber just like pasta or cereals, although peeling them partially removes these fibers. In fact, when I use potatoes with thin skins, I don’t peel them but get organic potatoes and wash them very well with a brush.
Don’t be sly and don’t get ready-made fried potatoes or maybe frozen pre-fried ones. Make these crunchy chips and with just 1 teaspoon of oil, you two will eat! Less seasoning than this is not possible! And if you have an air fryer, they will turn out even more delicious and crunchy compared to oven baking!
Many tasty ideas with potatoes can be found here:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- 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 (as preferred)
- 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, according to taste), and cut them into not too thick slices, wedges, or sticks. Soak them in cold water for about ten minutes to let the potatoes lose some starch. Drain them well and put them in a pot full of cold water with a little salt. Put the pot on the stove and bring to a boil. Let boil for a few minutes: the potatoes should be just slightly blanched! Drain them and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.
Put the potatoes in a large bowl and add a teaspoon of oil. If you like, you can also add dried spices like 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, just one teaspoon of oil will be enough to evenly coat all the potatoes!
I still remember that when I published this recipe in August 2012, I avoided mentioning this appliance believing I couldn’t name it here on the blog. I was a pioneer of the air fryer and got the very first Philips Airfryer about 11 years ago. And even though I now have the larger version, the XXL, the old small Airfryer still works perfectly and has been reserved by my son for when he will have his own place! One of the latest models available that I recommend is this: Philips Airfryer XXL Premium 7.3-liter.
Without further ado. Place the previously seasoned potatoes directly in the basket of the air fryer, close it, and cook for about 20 minutes at 356°F.
If you have an old or less powerful model, 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. You only need to do it a couple of times in total to ensure more even cooking of the chips.
Preheat your oven to the highest possible temperature (428-482°F). Spread the seasoned chips on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper so as not to overlap them too much (otherwise cook them in two batches). Bake and turn the potatoes a couple of times. It will take about 30-40 minutes depending on the oven: when they are golden brown they are ready.
At the end, place the still hot chips on a large plate and add salt to taste. These crunchy chips are an ideal source of carbohydrates to enjoy with proteins and vegetables for a tasty and complete meal. I often make them with my vegan lentil meatballs, for example.
As you can see from the photos, you can cut the potatoes as you like: into rounds, sticks, or wedges. In the photo above, I left the potatoes with their skins, and I like them better!
Aren’t they very inviting? Let me know what shape you gave your crunchy chips below in the comments or also in my Facebook club, I’ll be waiting maybe with your photos!
Enjoy!
by Giovanna Buono
Again, I urge you not to skip the pre-boiling step. I never steam much but instead of boiling them, 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’ve sometimes taken to make crunchy chips, but they cost more, so I generally avoid them. They are bags of pre-cut and slightly cooked potatoes, without added fats or salt. In fact, they expire within a couple of days, they are to be bought and prepared. If you find them in Italy, too, they’re perfect for when you don’t have time to do all the preparation!
