Pan-fried potatoes


Pan-fried potatoes
What could be simpler than fried potatoes? No need of a recipe for that! Quite right, but it's also very easy to end up making fried mash instead. Here are the main pitfalls to avoid.
302 K 4.2/5 (57 reviews)
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Last modified on: February 3rd 2011
For 4 people, you will need:

Change to the quantities for:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 45 min.
Cooking: 55 min.
All in all: 1 hour 40 min.
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Step by step recipe


Stage 1 - 20 min.
Pan-fried potatoes
Peel and wash 1 kg potatoes.

Cut into medium sized pieces if you have big potatoes, the ideal size is about that of your thumb.

If you cut potatoes, wash again. This is very important because cutting potatoes releases starch, and that starch will make them stick when cooking.

After washing, dry in a cloth. This is another important point, because wet potatoes can make the hot oil spit dangerously.

Stage 2 - 2 min.
Pan-fried potatoes
Pour 3 tablespoons oil into a non-stick pan on medium heat, and add potatoes. Stir well to coat each potato with oil.

Stage 3 - 40 min.
Pan-fried potatoes
Turn down heat, cover, do not salt and do not touch for at least 40 minutes.

You must resist all temptation to salt because it makes them stick, and to stir them because it is useless and eventually produces famous fried mash.

Stage 4 - 5 min.
Pan-fried potatoes
After this time, uncover, salt, and...

Stage 5 - 15 min.
Pan-fried potatoes
... stir gently so that fried sides of potatoes are on top.

Leave to cook a further 15 minutes, still covered.

Stage 6 - 15 min.
Pan-fried potatoes
Repeat this until potatoes are fried as you like them.

Stage 7
Pan-fried potatoes
Be careful because once fried, potatoes can't be kept waiting, covered or not they will go soft.

You should serve them without delay.
Remarks
Brief summary of the method: wash and dry potatoes, coat with a little oil, cook slowly without salt and without stirring for 40 minutes, only then should you salt and stir to cook on all sides.

You will get excellent results with rattes (small firm waxy potatoes), they are already just the right size.

My uncle Pierre, a great chef, when he was chef of his own restaurant, used this dish to test new young cooks.
Keeping: Several days in the fridge, in a closed jar.
Source: My uncle Pierre Barbary, the best self-taught chef I have ever known!.
Nutritional information
Proteins (gr)Carbohydrates (gr)Fats (gr)Energy value (in k-calories)Energy value (in k-joules)
Whole recipe20 RDI=8 %190 RDI=20 %50 RDI=7 %1,260 RDI=60 %5,250 RDI: 60 %
Per 100 g1 RDI=1 %20 RDI=2 %4 RDI=1 %120 RDI=6 %500 RDI: 6 %
Per person5 RDI=2 %50 RDI=4 %10 RDI=2 %310 RDI=20 %1,310 RDI: 20 %
The % figures are calculated in relation to the Recommended Dietary Intake , or RDI of 2,000 k-calories (or 8,400 k-joules) per day for a woman Change to a man
How much will it cost?
  • For 4 people : 1.10 €
  • Per person : 0.30 €

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Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
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