If you were to ask any of my friends from when I was 5-25 years old what they remember the most about my dad, they’ll tell you his french fries. My dad was (and still is) notorious for making french fries whenever any of us had friends over. He’d peel ’em, chop ’em, and fry ’em all by himself. He’d keep making batches of food until our stomachs couldn’t stretch out anymore.
French fries went hand in hand with swimming in the summers. Since my house had a pool, everyone would come over to swim when it was hot out. Whenever that happened, you guessed it… my dad would come out with a platter of golden, crispy fries seasoned with Lawry’s seasoning salt.
They’re dangerously delicious. Even after eating them for twenty five years, I continue to devour them when they’re in front of me.
Although these french fries don’t come anywhere close to my dads, they’re still pretty tasty. They’re just different since they’re baked and not fried. I also cut them into thicker wedges rather than skinny strings, so they taste more like roasted potatoes than anything else.
I felt less guilty than normal for eating them nonstop since they’re baked. That makes sense, right? My DB loved these fries. I wish they were a bit crispier on the outside, though.
I’m also a lot more comfortable making things in the oven rather than scalding hot oil. Have you noticed I’ve never fried anything on my blog? That’s because I’m afraid I’ll burn the house down. That, and get burned everywhere from my waist up. Heck, I’d get my whole body burned throwing something in oil.
Maybe one day, I’ll get the courage to fry something. After all, I do love my churros.
Recipe from Annie Eats
Ingredients
- 3 russet potatoes (about 24 oz. total), peeled and cut lengthwise into even sized wedges
- 5 tbsp. vegetable, canola or peanut oil, divided
- ¾ tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 475˚ F. Soak the potato wedges in hot water for 10-30 minutes.
- Put 4 tablespoons of the oil onto a heavy, rimmed baking sheet and spread evenly. Sprinkle the pan evenly with the salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Drain the potatoes and pat dry with towels. Return the potatoes to the empty bowl and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil.
- Arrange the potato wedges on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 5 minutes.
- Remove the foil and continue to bake until the bottoms of the potatoes are spotty golden brown, 15-20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet after 10 minutes.
- Using a metal spatula and tongs, flip each potato wedge keeping them in a single layer. Continue baking until the fries are golden and crisp, 5 -15 minutes. Rotate the pan as needed to ensure even browning.
