There are recipes that turn into small (or large) obsessions, that challenge you to always improve them, in order to achieve a result that can be defined as perfect. It happens to professionals as well as enthusiasts: in this case, the protagonists are roast potatoes and the famous American chef, bestselling culinary writer and gastronomic consultant J. Kenji López-Alt who over the years, experiment after experiment, has managed to find what he himself declares to be the best method for preparing oven baked potatoes that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, fully enhancing the contrast between the crunchy and creamy sides: all this is possible by taking advantage of the watery internal part of the potato, which remains soft, and the external part, which, instead, dries out upon contact with high temperatures, taking on a crumbly consistency. Let's see how it's done.
Baking Soda's Role in Pre-Cooking Potatoes
An initial version of the dish dates back to 2011, and was tweaked in 2016: the tubers are cut into large pieces, boiled in water, salt, and bicarbonate of soda, shaken in a bowl, and roasted in the oven at 445°F/230°C. As in our recipe, J. Kenji López-Alt recommends boiling the potatoes before baking them, to soften them and shorten the roasting time. But he doesn't stop there: he suggests adding salt to the water and, above all, a little more than half a teaspoon of baking soda (4 grams) for every two liters of water to create an alkaline solution in which to pre-cook the peeled, diced tubers. Why? Baking soda makes water alkaline (raising its pH): this chemical environment breaks down the pectins in the surface cell walls much faster than neutral water, allowing the surface of the potatoes to flake slightly and release a generous amount of free starch, creating one of the conditions necessary for crispiness.
The Fundamental Steps to Create the Crust
After about 10 minutes, assessing the consistency of the potatoes with a small knife (the tip should penetrate easily, without however breaking the flesh), drain them: J. Kenji López-Alt lets them rest for 30 seconds, so as to allow the excess moisture to evaporate and transfers the potatoes to a bowl, where he seasons them with an oil flavored with garlic and rosemary, salt and pepper and shakes them vigorously, until a sort of starchy puree forms on the surface, which completely envelops the pieces: upon contact with the high temperature of the oven, this creamy texture dehydrates, becoming an irregular and very crunchy crust. Cooking takes place at 445°F/230°C in a static oven – with the fan oven setting the temperature drops to 395°F/200°C – for around 40-50 minutes: the aim is to obtain a fairly intense golden color, not touching the potatoes for the first 20 minutes and then moving them every now and then to prevent them from sticking or burning, leaving them for another 30-40 minutes.
Other Special Details for The Success of The Dish
As someone who spends a lot of time in front of the stove, J. Kenji López-Alt knows that even in the simplest recipes, it's the details that make the difference, and following a procedure correctly doesn't guarantee success. For example, one factor that shouldn't be underestimated is the type of potato: after several tests, the chef suggests using potatoes with a high starch content, such as Russet potatoes, for his method, where starch plays a prominent role. New potatoes should be avoided. The size of the cut is also important: the pieces are quite large, with the potato typically divided into quarters, six, or eight depending on its size. Finally, López-Alt uses a trick to avoid burning the aromatic herbs in the dressing, which risk adding a bitter note since he uses high oven temperatures, creating a fragrant oil. The procedure is as follows: pour extra virgin olive oil (or goose, duck, or beef fat) into a saucepan, add 3 cloves of garlic and chopped rosemary, and heat until the garlic is lightly browned. He strains the liquid, separating the solids, and immediately drizzles the oil over the potatoes, along with salt and pepper, before baking. He incorporates the remaining herbs after cooking, stirring well. The finishing touch is some freshly chopped parsley before serving.
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