This site uses only a few technical cookies necessary for its operation. By continuing to browse, you accept their use.
To find out more...
To find out more...
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.
316 K 4.2/5 (57 reviews)
1 hour 40 min.
Easy
1.10 €
4 people
3 IngredientsLast modified on: February 3rd 2011
1 kg 
3 tablespoons 
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 45 min.
Cooking: 55 min.
All in all: 1 hour 40 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - ⌛ 20 min.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
After this time, uncover, salt, and...
Stage 5 - ⌛ 15 min.
... stir gently so that fried sides of potatoes are on top.
Leave to cook a further 15 minutes, still covered.
Leave to cook a further 15 minutes, still covered.
Stage 6 - ⌛ 15 min.
Repeat this until potatoes are fried as you like them.
Stage 7
Be careful because once fried, potatoes can't be kept waiting, covered or not they will go soft.
You should serve them without delay.
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.
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 recipe | 20 RDI=8 % | 190 RDI=20 % | 50 RDI=7 % | 1,260 RDI=60 % | 5,250 RDI: 60 % |
| Per 100 g | 1 RDI=1 % | 20 RDI=2 % | 4 RDI=1 % | 120 RDI=6 % | 500 RDI: 6 % |
| Per person | 5 RDI=2 % | 50 RDI=4 % | 10 RDI=2 % | 310 RDI=20 % | 1,310 RDI: 20 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 4 people : 1.10 €
- Per person : 0.30 €
Change currency:
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)
Potatoes
Like these other recipes: Chilli langoustines, Smooth mixed vegetable soup, Real home-made chips* , Zucchini and potato scarpaccia, Vegetable pie, ... See them all 86
Oil
Like these other recipes: Onion fondue, Wiener Schnitzel, Split peas "à la française", Sausage and mashed potatoes, Roast beef "like they do it in Santa Fe", ... See them all 102
Salt
Like these other recipes: Pan-fried scallops and chanterelles with Noilly Prat sauce, Brussels sprouts with thyme cream, Chocolate eclairs, Colcannon, Mint and pea pesto, ... See them all 681
Other recipes you may also like
French dressing (vinaigrette)
Here is a very simple recipe, but it could completely transform, maybe even transcend, your salad. July 7th 20111.07 M4.5 7 min.
Sugar syrup
This syrup is mainly used as a basis for all sorbet recipes, which consist of this syrup and fruit pulp, but it can be also used to soak biscuits for example, or for fruit salads. February 21th 2011775 K3.5 8 min.
Pilau rice
Pilau rice (also called "restaurant rice" in France) is a way of cooking rice that's very different from using a rice-cooker. In this recipe, the rice is first "pearled" with onion in olive oil, then chicken stock is added, and the whole lot is put in the oven. This produces a very tasty moist rice, which can easily be kept waiting without drying out. February 21th 2011407 K 14.4 35 min.
Walnut paste
Very similar to marzipan (almond paste) in method, walnut paste is very tasty. February 21th 2011321 K 63.5 15 min.
Oat shortbread biscuits
Little biscuits with home-made oat flour (made from rolled oat flakes). February 21th 2011295 K 15 2 hours 45 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2026-01-18)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Post a comment or question
Follow this recipe (as 5 people already do)
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.