Baked Oven Fries

I think it's safe to say that most people who cook have made oven fries at some point in their life. Slice some potatoes, toss them with a bit of oil, bake, and season with salt. Who needs a recipe for that, right? Typically I'd agree with you. It's simple and doesn't require much thought. However, I find that oven fries typically have a firm "skin" to them, not that crisp/slightly oily outer layer of traditional fries. I had seen Annie make this version over a year ago and was initially turned off by the amount of oil. I couldn't see using that much oil to make a "healthier" version of a side dish. However, eventually curiosity got the best of me and I had to just see what these were like. Sure enough they took oven fries to another level. The method of preparation makes for a perfectly crisp oven fry. I think this method will be my new go-to way... but I may experiment with using less oil and see how it goes!

Source: Annie's 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:
1-Preheat the oven to 475˚ F.  Place the potato wedges in a large mixing bowl.  Cover with hot water; soak for 10-30 minutes.  

2-Put 4 tablespoons of the oil onto a heavy, rimmed baking sheet.  Tilt the sheet side to side to evenly coat the pan with oil (a pastry brush can also help with this).  Sprinkle the pan evenly with the salt and pepper.  Set aside.

3- Drain the potatoes.  Spread the wedges out on layers of paper towels or on clean kitchen towels.  Pat dry with additional towels.  Wipe out the now empty bowl so it is dry.  Return the potatoes to the bowl and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil.  

4- 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.  

5- 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.

6- When the fries are finished baking, transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain some of the grease.  Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.  Serve warm.