Oven Fries/Chips: Baked french fries

Subject: Baked french fries
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: Marc Sabatella (marc at outsideshore.com)
Date: Wed, 28 May 2003 22:23:39 -0600
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OK, I didn't invent this, but it seems little enough known that it is worth passing along. Cut up a potato as for french fries. Throw them in a baking pan with just enough oil to coat the bottom. Roll them around, toss on some salt & whatever spices strike your fancy. Bake about 20 minutes at 450, rolling them occasionally (I just shake the pan). A lower fat and much less messy to prepare alternative to standard french fries, and every bit as good.
From: Philippe (fleurius at hotmail.com)
Date: Thu, 29 May 2003 13:13:56 GMT
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Interesting recipe. Do you put them on low or high rack. No problems with the oil smoking or spraying the inside of the oven?
From: Marc Sabatella (marc at outsideshore.com)
Date: Thu, 29 May 2003 19:26:19 -0600
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Philippe wrote:
> Interesting recipe. Do you put them on low or high rack. No problems with
> the oil smoking or spraying the inside of the oven?

I've been using low rack; hadn't thought to try high. And there is so little oil that it doesn't cause any such problems. I'm talking like a tablespoon for two potatoes' worth in a 9x12 pan - when I say enough to coat the pan, I mean, just *barely* coat it. The variation Stan mentioned, where you drizzle the oil directly on the potatoes, works too, but I find I have more problems with sticking that way.

As for proving this is lower fat than deep frying in oil, I guess I can't, but really, I'm talking a very small total amount of oil, and the results don't *seem* to have retained as much oil as most conventional fries I've had. How much oil do you suppose would be absorbed into two potatoes in a deep fryer?

As for calling these "roast potatoes", to me, that implies something rather different - larger chunks of potato, often cooked at a lower temperature, definitely not usually as crisp.
From: Peter Aitken (paitken at CRAPnc.rr.com)
Date: Fri, 30 May 2003 13:24:55 GMT
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Marc Sabatella wrote:

> As for proving this is lower fat than deep frying in oil, I guess I
> can't, but really, I'm talking a very small total amount of oil, and the
> results don't *seem* to have retained as much oil as most conventional
> fries I've had. How much oil do you suppose would be absorbed into two
> potatoes in a deep fryer?

If the potatoes are deep fried properly, surprisingly litle fat is absorbed. As soon as the potato hits ther hot fat the water in the potato starts turning to steam which exits the potato (as bubles) and prevents fat frm seeping in.

> As for calling these "roast potatoes", to me, that implies something
> rather different - larger chunks of potato, often cooked at a lower
> temperature, definitely not usually as crisp.

As for calling your recipe roast potatoes, it is because cooking something by exposure to hot air in an oven is, by definition, roasting. It's not a description of how they turn out.
From: sf (sf at pipeline.com)
Date: Thu, 29 May 2003 23:09:38 -0700
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Philippe wrote:
> Interesting recipe. Do you put them on low or high rack. No problems with
> the oil smoking or spraying the inside of the oven?

I make oven "fries" in that manner.

I cook them high... (450) and have no problem with oil smoking or spraying because there is no excess oil.
From: Peter Aitken (paitken at CRAPnc.rr.com)
Date: Thu, 29 May 2003 14:12:47 GMT
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Marc Sabatella wrote:
> pan). A lower fat and much less messy to prepare alternative to
> standard french fries, and every bit as good.

I agree that these can be good but if you can get them to taste like the real thing then you are a genius.
From: Dimitri (dimitri_c at prodigy.net)
Date: Thu, 29 May 2003 15:03:14 GMT
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Marc Sabatella wrote:
> A lower fat and much less messy to prepare alternative to
> standard french fries, and every bit as good.

A lower fat

PROVE IT!
From: stan at temple.edu
Date: 29 May 2003 20:00:13 GMT
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Marc Sabatella wrote:
> OK, I didn't invent this, but it seems little enough known that it is
> worth passing along. Cut up a potato as for french fries. Throw them
> in a baking pan with just enough oil to coat the bottom.

I like to do a bit of a variation on this. For oil, I use the stuff from olives. I drizzle a bit of inexpensive olive oil on thick cut potatoes (skin on) and then add a bit of dried rosemary, pepper, and garlic powder to the spuds, then I bake them as you described. The potatoes come out golden brown on the outside and suculent on the inside.
From: Peter Aitken (paitken at CRAPnc.rr.com)
Date: Thu, 29 May 2003 21:25:39 GMT
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stan at temple wrote:
> and then add a bit of dried rosemary, pepper, and garlic powder
> to the spuds,

Old Bay seasoning is surprisingly good for this.
From: Sheryl Rosen (catmandy at optonline.net)
Date: Thu, 29 May 2003 23:12:42 GMT
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stan at temple wrote:
> I like to do a bit of a variation on this. For oil, I use the stuff from
> olives. I drizzle a bit of inexpensive olive oil on thick cut potatoes
> (skin on) and then add a bit of dried rosemary, pepper, and garlic powder
> to the spuds, then I bake them as you described. The potatoes come out
> golden brown on the outside and suculent on the inside.

Those are roasted potatoes, Stan.
And they are terrific! And there is no reason you couldn't dip them in ketchup!
From: Netguy (johnhinospam at comcast.net)
Date: Thu, 29 May 2003 22:30:30 -0400
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Marc Sabatella wrote:
> OK, I didn't invent this, but it seems little enough known that it is
> worth passing along. Cut up a potato as for french fries. Throw them
> in a baking pan with just enough oil to coat the bottom.

I have made these many times, but forget the oil, just spray lightly with Pam.
From: David Wright (dtwright at earthlink.not)
Date: Fri, 30 May 2003 14:01:58 GMT
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Netguy wrote:
> I have made these many times, but forget the oil, just spray lightly
> with Pam.

Better yet, invest about $10 in a Misto oil sprayer, or something similar, and fill with your own oil. Pays for itself in 3-4 fillings.
From: Marc Sabatella (marc at outsideshore.com)
Date: Fri, 30 May 2003 12:46:15 -0600
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Netguy wrote:
> I have made these many times, but forget the oil, just spray lightly
> with Pam.

The small amount of oil really helps develop the crispness, though - Pam seems very unlikely to do the same. An oil mister should work well, though.