How to Make Perfect French Fries - Without Frying

Do you love french fries, but not the fat content and mess of frying? Do you wish you could have delicious fries without a lot of effort? If so, you should try this recipe!

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 2 lbs potatoes
• 2 Tbl. olive oil
• Salt, pepper, and paprika to taste
• vegetable peeler
• knife
• baking or cookie sheet
• tin foil
• cooking spray
• a mixing bowl
• an oven

1. 
   These are potatoes

   Preheat oven to 350. Peel and wash potatoes and cut into 6 wedges each.

2. Put cut potato wedges into a big mixing bowl and add the olive oil, salt, pepper and paprika. Toss to combine. I like to do this step with my hands, but then, I really enjoy touching food. You can use a couple of big spoons if you want to.

3. Line baking sheet or cookie pan with foil for ease of clean-up. Spray with cooking spray and pour on potatoes. Arrange them so they're in a single layer (they don't like to touch, silly potatoes).

4. 
   we all like our fries in varying shades of browness...it's ok! these are YOUR fries!

   Put in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and turn the potatoes over with a spatula. Bake for another 30 minutes. Check to see if potatoes are as brown as you like them. If yes, remove from oven and eat (careful, they'll be lava-hot inside). If not, put back in oven for 10 more minutes, then check again, and again, and again until they're as brown as you like them. Be careful not to burn them (unless that's how you like them...I'm not saying you're weird, just different)

Tips & Warnings

• I use Idaho potatoes because they work best in this recipe due to their starch content and, uh, because they're cheap...I mean, inexpensive.
• You can leave the skin on your potatoes, but my kids won't eat them that way, so you probably shouldn't invite them over for your weird fries ;)
• I usually double the recipe because I reallllly like fries and so does my family
• If you double the recipe or cut your potatoes into smaller wedges, you may need an extra foil-lined baking sheet so the potatoes aren't all overlapping
• the smaller the wedges, the shorter the cooking time
• If you do have more than one baking sheet, you will, most likely need to add 10 to 15 minutes extra cooking time (unless they're skinny little wedges) to get them nice and brown the way I like them (if you like them less crunchy and more potatoey, you probably won't need to add extra time...do what you think is best for you!)
• you can add other seasonings with the salt and pepper if you like. Some good ones are garlic, rosemary, lemon pepper, curry powder, basil, oregano...I'm a purist, but use your imagination and season away if you want to!
• it is very painful if you accidentally peel your fingers or knuckles instead of the potato
• these are habit forming
• these seem to shrink or something during cooking because what look like a huge amount of pre-cooked potatoes, seem like hardly any once they're golden brown and your family and/or friends get near them.
• You may feel the need to hoard them or eat some before letting the locusts in your house (aka kids, house-mates, anyone other than you...) know that they're ready

Resources

• Potato Recipes
• Idaho Potato Commission
• North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission

[mfahrney]

on 6/11/2009 Great article on non frying french fries..and sound easy and delicious..my two favorite things..thanks!

[PearlsWisdom]

on 5/20/2009 Good article, well written, funny, AND the recipe for fries sounds delicious!

[gerrie5044]

on 5/9/2009 These french fries sound great! 5* and rec

[joanhaines]

on 5/7/2009 Non-fried fries are a family favorite around here! Thanks.

[naturalpath]

on 4/21/2009 Sounds much healthier than frying. Thanks for the recipe.