When prepared flawlessly, French fries have an almost unbeatable taste, although the only ingredients needed are potatoes, oil and a pinch of salt. The details contain some difficulties, but the fact remains that even within the walls of the house it is possible to achieve a result worthy of the best restaurant.
Ingrediants
- 2, 2 kg of potatoes (choose a starchy variety)
- ≥ 1 liter of oil for frying (peanut or sunflower)
- Salt and Pepper To Taste.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Prepare the French Fries
Step 1. Decide whether to peel the potatoes
If you are not going to peel them, scrub them vigorously under running cold running water to remove dirt. Choose a low-water potato variety with a floury, highly starchy texture.
Step 2. Evaluate the shape and thickness you want to give the chips, then cut them evenly
You can slice them in any way you like according to your personal tastes. Remember that the thinner they are, the crispier they tend to become; so, if you want them to stay soft on the inside, it's best to cut them a little thicker:
- The classic French fries are the same length as the potato and a thickness of about 1.5 cm.
- To prepare the chips, you need to slice the potatoes lengthwise; in this case the thickness must not exceed 2-3 mm.
- The so-called "wedge potatoes" are wedge-shaped chips, about 2, 5 cm thick. To prepare them, cut the potato in half lengthwise, then divide each half into three equally sized wedges, always cutting them lengthwise.
Step 3. After cutting them, rinse the chips, then pat them with kitchen paper to dry them
This step is to remove excess water which may slow down frying. The main goal is to make them crunchy and excess water is an obstacle. Try to absorb as much of it as possible by patiently blotting the entire surface of the chips with kitchen paper.
Part 2 of 3: Double Frying
Step 1. Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet
Pour about 7-10 cm of frying oil into a heavy-bottomed skillet, then heat it using medium-high heat. Generally, it is best to fry using peanut or sunflower oil as they have a high smoke point and light taste. If you have the option of using a deep fryer, set it to 200 ° C.
If you don't have a deep fryer, you can measure the temperature of the oil using a cooking thermometer
Step 2. While the oil heats up, line a baking sheet with several layers of kitchen paper
To get perfectly crunchy fries, you will need to fry them not once, but twice; between one cooking and the other, you will have to let them cool and drain them from the excess oil inside the baking tray lined with absorbent paper.
Step 3. Wait for the oil to reach 200 ° C, then add the fries
At this point, you need to lower the heat to a medium level. If you don't have a cooking thermometer, you can test the temperature of the oil by placing a piece of bread in a pan; if the heat is correct, you will see small bubbles form and the bread will brown in about 45 seconds. Once the fries have been added, the oil temperature will naturally drop, reaching approximately 180 ° C. Maintain this temperature by reducing the flame to a medium level.
- If you are using a deep fat fryer, reset the temperature to 180 ° C immediately after adding the potatoes.
- Make sure all the fries are completely submerged in the hot oil. Stir once to distribute them evenly, then let them cook undisturbed.
Step 4. Fry the fries for 1 minute, then immediately transfer them to kitchen paper
They should have softened and only slightly browned. Remove them from the oil using a skimmer. Once in the pan, gently dab them with absorbent paper.
At this point, you can reduce the heat of the oil by adjusting the flame or temperature of the fryer
Step 5. Let the fries cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes
During this first frying, the water molecules contained in the potatoes will have heated up and moved away from the center of the chips to head outwards. As the potatoes cool, these water molecules combine with the starch and oil to form an invisible rubbery coating. During the second frying, that same coating will transform into the crunchy and delicious surface that makes the chips unique.
Step 6. Heat the oil to 240 ° C
You will need to raise the flame again by setting it to a medium-high level. In this case, the piece of bread used to test the temperature of the oil should start frying immediately, browning within a maximum of 20-30 seconds. If you have a cooking thermometer available, you will notice that the heat will drop again, reaching around 200 ° C. At this point, adjust the flame or fryer to keep it constant.
Step 7. Fry the now cold fries a second time for about 3-4 minutes or until golden
When they appear ready and appetizing, it means it's time to remove them from the oil. Given the intense heat, the fries will continue to darken for a few seconds even after they have been taken out of the oil, so try to remove them from the pan 15-20 seconds before you think they will reach the perfect color.
Again, you will need to make sure that they are all completely immersed in the hot oil
Step 8. Let them cool and drain the excess oil onto clean paper towels
Gently dab them to prevent them from being greasy or soggy in the mouth. As soon as they have cooled down enough, you can serve them on the table.
If you want to add salt, pepper or any other spice you like, do it while they are still hot; thanks to this device, the flavors will spread more evenly
Part 3 of 3: Cold Frying
Step 1. Pour the fries into a large, sturdy bottom pan
If possible, use a cast iron one with high sides: it will keep the heat evenly and will prevent the risk of splashing the surrounding surfaces.
Step 2. Submerge the fries with at least 3cm of oil
In this case the oil will be cold, not hot, since with this method the oil and the chips will be heated simultaneously. The aim is to simulate the double frying method explained above. As it warms up, the oil will draw the moisture out of the potatoes; once it reaches a high temperature, that same water will allow to obtain a perfectly crunchy surface.
Step 3. Cook the fries for 15 minutes using medium heat
You will notice that small bubbles will start to form around the surface of the potatoes, which is a good sign. In fact, those bubbles are the water molecules that escape to the outside of the chips.
Step 4. Stir with a wooden spoon, then continue cooking for another 25 minutes
At this point of preparation, the chips should be easily pierced with a fork; this means they will need to be soft enough to actually start frying.
Step 5. Adjust the heat to medium high, then fry them until golden brown (about 20-30 minutes)
The bubbles should intensify significantly and after 20-25 minutes the fries should start to take on a golden color and an appetizing appearance. Just a few more minutes and they will be perfect.
Step 6. Drain them on a paper towel lined pan, then salt them immediately
Remove the fries from the hot oil using a slotted spoon or colander, then dab them with kitchen paper. Try to get rid of all excess oil to prevent them from becoming soggy. Once buffered, you can salt them to taste and serve them immediately on the table.
Advice
- You can buy a convenient potato cutter to reduce the preparation time and obtain evenly thick chips.
- Let the oil cool completely, then save it for later frying. Generally, you can use it up to five times before you need to replace it.
- Remember that the thicker the fries, the less oil they absorb when cooking.
Warnings
- Choose a pan with high sides, then fill it halfway and no more to avoid the risk of the oil overflowing during cooking.
- When the chips are immersed in oil while they are still cold or wet, many dangerous splashes are produced; for this it is essential to dry them carefully.
