Baked potato puffs (or chips) are a healthier alternative to traditional French fries. They also contain less fat, fewer calories, and are easier to prepare. When hot and crunchy, potato puff pastries are even tastier, so calculate the times well to get the best possible result in terms of taste and texture.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Prepare the baked potato puffs
Step 1. Preheat the oven
The potatoes must cook slowly to be perfectly crunchy. Set the temperature to 160 ° C and move a shelf to the center of the oven.
Step 2. Prepare the potatoes
Rub them under cold running water to remove soil residue from the peel, then remove the sprouts and blemishes with the tip of the knife. If you wish, you can peel the potatoes so that the puff pastries have a more uniform color, but this is not necessary. Remember that the peel is a concentrate of taste and precious nutrients.
It is best to use potatoes with a firm texture and little starch. Those suitable for boiling are to be avoided, since they tend to break and, generally, do not guarantee homogeneous cooking
Step 3. Cut the potatoes into even, thin slices
If the thickness is not homogeneous, the thinner ones could be burnt and the thicker ones undercooked. The ideal is to use a mandolin or the food processor which guarantee a uniform result. Set the thickness to 3mm. If you don't have a mandolin or an accessory suitable for slicing potatoes with the food processor, cut them by hand using a sharp knife.
- Keep the surface of the mandolin moist to counteract the sticky effect of the starch.
- Use a knife with a wavy blade (or mount it on the mandolin) if you want the potato chips to have a zigzag surface.
- The 3 mm thickness ensures that the chips have an exceptional texture and crunchiness. If you use mandolin, you can cut them even thinner, but you risk them getting burned.
Step 4. Blanch the potatoes to reduce the starch (optional)
Starch molecules are essentially composed of glucose (sugar) chains and, like sugar, caramelize and darken when heated. If you prefer the potato chips to stay clear and don't want to risk them burning, it's best to blanch the potatoes to remove some of the starch:
- Use 2 liters of water and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of white wine vinegar for every 2-3 medium-sized potatoes. The vinegar is used to prevent the potatoes from breaking.
- Bring the water and vinegar to a boil in a large saucepan.
- Add the sliced potatoes and cook for exactly 3 minutes. If the thickness is less than 3mm, blanch for 1-2 minutes only.
- Drain the potatoes and place them in a baking sheet lined with absorbent paper.
- Dab them to dry them and let them drain on the paper for 5 minutes. Turn them occasionally to dry evenly.
Step 5. Grease the pan and potato chips
Take a large baking sheet and grease it with a drizzle of oil (you can use spray oil for convenience). If you prefer, you can use butter.
It is advisable to use a sturdy pan with a thick bottom, to prevent it from deforming with the heat and the chips from burning. If you prefer to use a disposable aluminum container, let it warm in the oven before distributing the potatoes evenly
Step 6. Arrange the potato chips in the pan without overlapping them
Grease them on both sides using a kitchen brush or oil spray. Alternatively, place them on the baking sheet and then turn them over to the other side.
Step 7. Add salt and possibly other spices
Be inspired by the proposals presented in the next section to flavor potato puffs.
Step 8. Bake the potato chips in the oven for 15–30 minutes
You will need to check them often, as the cooking time mostly depends on the variety of potatoes. Turn the pan halfway through cooking and remove it from the oven as soon as the potatoes seem evenly crunchy and begin to brown around the edges. If you prefer them golden brown, you can leave them in the oven for another couple of minutes.
- If some chips brown faster than others, remove them from the pan using kitchen tongs and let the rest cook.
- The cooking time of 15-30 minutes refers to potato chips with a thickness of 3 mm. If they are thicker, it may take longer.
Step 9. Let the potato chips cool on the paper towel
Transfer them to a paper towel-lined tray and drain the excess oil. Keep them uncovered so that when they cool they can become even more crunchy.
Step 10. Eat potato chips within a couple of days
Unlike the ones you can buy ready-made, over time the homemade fries will gradually become less crunchy. Transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and store them in a cool, dry place.
Part 2 of 2: Flavors and Variants
Step 1. Season the potato chips with spices
You can sprinkle them with one or more spices of your choice before or after cooking in the oven. You can choose from several options, for example you can use paprika, pepper, garlic powder, a mixture of spices for the barbecue or the flavorings of Cajun cuisine.
Step 2. Use a herb flavored oil
Among the aromatic herbs that go best with potatoes there are certainly thyme and rosemary. To prevent fresh herbs from burning in the oven, you can flavor olive oil with dried herbs. Season the potato chips with the flavored oil to make them even more crunchy and tasty.
Dill, oregano and chives also go very well with potatoes
Step 3. If you are on a low sodium diet, you can flavor potato chips with pepper or chilli
Slice 2 large potatoes and season them with a teaspoon (5 ml) of lime juice, a pinch of cayenne pepper, a pinch of chili powder and pepper to taste. These strong flavors will make the chips flavorful without forcing you to add salt.
Step 4. Use sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes require a little more labor and cooking time than traditional ones, but the steps to make the chips are essentially the same. For the best possible result, line the baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush both the paper and the potatoes with oil (grease the puff pastry on both sides). Bake them in the oven at 160 ºC for about 40 minutes or until they begin to brown, making sure to turn them every 5 minutes.
