Kitchen cupboard ingredient is 'secret to perfect roast potatoes'

Kitchen cupboard ingredient is 'secret to perfect roast potatoes' For roast potatoes that are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, you may want to give this a go Roast potatoes rank among the nation's most beloved dishes, with countless people declaring them the highlight of a Sunday roast. While cooking methods may vary slightly from household to household, the basic approach remains consistent - the potatoes are parboiled before being placed into a tray of hot oil or fat and roasted in the oven. Some cooks also 'shuffle' the potatoes in a colander beforehand, as this roughens up the edges and forms a layer of potato paste that crisps into countless extra-crunchy ridges in the hot oil. You might believe you've mastered your roast potatoes by now, but one culinary expert has revealed that incorporating a simple ingredient produces "the best roast potatoes ever". Ella Mills, more widely known as Deliciously Ella, has disclosed her "secret", and it concerns something you introduce during the boiling phase. In a previous Instagram video, she said: "I have the secret to the best roast potatoes ever. You simply boil them with a little bit of bicarb. It helps release the starch so then you can roast them with rosemary, garlic, olive oil, and salt and get the crispiest outside and the fluffiest inside." Additional details in the post's caption explain that simmering 1/4 teaspoon of bicarb with the potatoes "helps break down the surface of the potato, bringing the starch to the surface, so that are fluffy on the inside and extra golden and crispy on the outside". Ella recommends using 1/4 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda for 1.5kg of Maris Piper potatoes. She also advises giving the potatoes a vigorous shake after draining, and heating oil in the oven for 10 minutes while the potatoes steam dry. Next, you should toss the potatoes in three tablespoons of white flour "to thinly and evenly coat". Once the oil is piping hot, Ella explains, carefully add the potatoes, toss them in the oil, and throw in three sprigs of rosemary and four cloves of garlic. Ella added: "Roast for 55–60 minutes, turning the potatoes halfway through. Season with a sprinkling of flaky sea salt, to serve."