Potatoes are perhaps the most versatile ingredient and used as a side dish. Most recipes require them to be cut into evenly sized cubes. Whether you want to boil them, sauté them, add them to a stew or roast them in the oven, cutting them into cubes will ensure that they cook quickly and evenly. To get a precise cut it takes a little patience, but even novice cooks can achieve a good result with just the help of a sharp knife and a cutting board. Once cut into cubes, the potatoes can give life to different side dishes all appetizing and refined.
Ingrediants
Sautéed Potatoes
- 1 kg of potatoes (of a low-starch variety), cut into cubes
- 4-6 tablespoons (60-90 ml) of extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons of chopped parsley
Baked Potatoes Scented with Rosemary
- 1, 4 kg of potatoes (of a low-starch variety), cut into cubes
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 4 tablespoons (60 ml) of extra virgin olive oil
- 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Cut the Potatoes into Cubes
Step 1. Wash the potatoes
The tubers grow underground and for this reason they can be soiled with soil when you buy them fresh at the supermarket or the greengrocer. Scrub the peel of the potatoes with a vegetable brush and then rinse them thoroughly under cold water.
To prevent potatoes from absorbing water, it is best to wash them in a colander or colander
Step 2. Peel the potatoes if desired
Depending on the recipe you want to make, you may need to peel the potatoes off before cutting the potatoes into cubes. In that case, peel them with the vegetable peeler, being careful not to remove a too thick layer of pulp, then throw the peels away.
- If you don't intend to slice the potatoes right away after peeling them, soak them in a bowl or pan filled with cold water to prevent them from turning black.
- When you peel the potatoes, remove the green sprouts or patches from the pulp using a small pointed knife.
Step 3. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise
Take a sharp knife and cut them in two vertically before you start cutting them into cubes. After cutting them in half, place them so that the flat side rests on the cutting board.
Use a sharp chef's knife
Step 4. Cut the two halves of the potatoes again lengthwise
After you split them in half, take the knife back and divide each piece in two vertically. At this point the potatoes will be divided into four parts of equal size.
After cutting each half into two vertical sections, place the potatoes again so that one of the flat sides rests on the cutting board to be able to slice them more easily during the next step
Step 5. Cut the potatoes lengthwise for the third time
Place one quarter at a time on the cutting board and slice it vertically again with the chef's knife. You will get potato strips very similar to french fries.
Step 6. Arrange the potato strips horizontally on the cutting board to cut them into cubes
After slicing them as if you wanted to fry them, arrange the potatoes by dividing them into several piles and aligning them horizontally.
You can cut the potato strips individually if you prefer, but creating neat piles will definitely save time
Step 7. Cut the potatoes into cubes
After placing them horizontally on the cutting board, take the knife and slice them vertically to obtain many cubes of uniform size. You can cut them more or less large, depending on your preferences and the directions of the recipe, but be careful to keep them uniform so that they all cook at the same time, regardless of the type of cooking.
The dicing is suitable for most recipes involving the use of potatoes. You can also slice them this way to make mashed potatoes or fries at home
Part 2 of 3: Prepare the Sautéed Potatoes
Step 1. Put the water to boil in a large pot
Fill it about halfway and put it on the stove to bring the water to a boil. Add the salt to the water and heat it over medium-high heat. After 5-10 minutes it should come to a full boil.
It is not mandatory to salt the water. If you are trying to limit your sodium intake, you can avoid adding salt
Step 2. Cook the potatoes for several minutes
When the water has reached a boil, put the potatoes you previously cut into cubes in the pot. Cook them in boiling water for 4-5 minutes or until they have softened slightly.
- As indicated in the ingredients section, it is best to use a low-starch variety of potatoes, such as yellow or red flesh or new potatoes.
- Be careful not to cook the potatoes for too long or they will break when you toss them in the pan.
Step 3. Drain the potatoes and let them cool
When they have softened, pour them into a colander and then shake it to get rid of any excess water. Let them sit in the colander for 5 minutes to allow them to dry further and have time to cool down a bit.
Step 4. Heat the oil in the pan
While the potatoes are cooling in the colander, pour the extra virgin olive oil into a large non-stick pan. Heat it over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
If you prefer, you can use butter instead of oil
Step 5. Place the potatoes in the pan and let them cook for one minute
When the oil is hot enough, pour the potatoes into the pan, taking care to arrange them in a single layer. Sauté them over medium heat for about a minute, stirring frequently to make sure they cook evenly on all sides.
If the pan isn't wide enough for you to arrange the diced potatoes in a single layer, cook them in two (or more) rounds. Do not put them in the pot all at once to save time, otherwise you will get a mediocre result
Step 6. Add the garlic and let the potatoes cook until they are evenly browned
After cooking them for the first minute, place the four peeled and finely chopped garlic cloves in the pan. Stir to distribute the garlic evenly between the diced potatoes. It will take about 4-6 minutes for them to be evenly golden. From time to time stir them so that they fry on all sides.
If you wish, you can use more or less cloves of garlic, according to your personal tastes and those of your guests
Step 7. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper
When they are evenly golden, sprinkle them with flaked salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir the potatoes again to distribute the spices evenly.
Step 8. Reduce the heat and wait for the potatoes to be cooked to perfection inside as well
After seasoning them with salt and pepper, lower the heat and let the potatoes continue to simmer until they are perfectly soft in the center.
You can tell they're ready when you can easily skewer them with a fork
Step 9. Transfer the potatoes to a serving dish and sprinkle them with parsley
When the diced potatoes are cooked and browned to perfection, remove the pot from the stove and transfer them to a serving dish using a spoon. Sprinkle them with chopped parsley and then serve them to the table to accompany the main course of meat, fish or another protein source of your choice.
If you cooked the potatoes ahead of dinner time, keep them warm in the oven after transferring them to a size or baking dish. Set the oven to low to prevent them from continuing to cook
Part 3 of 3: Prepare the Rosemary Scented Baked Potatoes
Step 1. Preheat the oven
It is important to turn it on early enough to make sure it is warm enough when it is time to put the potatoes in the oven. Set it to 220 ° C and wait for it to reach the desired temperature.
Step 2. Boil the potatoes in salted water
Place the potatoes in a large pot after washing, peeling and cutting them into evenly sized cubes. Cover them with cold water and add as much coarse salt as you like. Heat the water over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil - this will take about 7-10 minutes.
- As indicated in the ingredients section, it is best to use a low-starch variety of potatoes, such as yellow or red flesh or new potatoes.
- It is not mandatory to salt the water. If you are trying to limit your sodium intake, you can avoid adding salt.
- The potatoes should become only slightly soft, at which point you can drain them to continue cooking in the oven.
Step 3. Drain the potatoes carefully
When the water boils, pour it into a colander along with the potatoes. Let them sit for 2-3 minutes so that they lose moisture through the steam.
Step 4. Crush the rosemary needles
For this recipe you need two fresh sprigs of rosemary. Detach the needles from the woody stems then gently pound them in the mortar to make sure they release their fragrant and delicious essential oils.
If you don't have a mortar at home, you can place the needles on the cutting board and gently squeeze them with the back of a spoon
Step 5. Heat the oil in a pan
Put it on the stove and pour a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil into it. Let it heat over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
Again, if you prefer, you can use butter instead of oil
Step 6. Place the potatoes, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper in the pan
When the oil is hot, remove the pan from the stove and add the diced potatoes, the crushed rosemary needles, the minced garlic cloves and finally the salt and pepper. Stir until the potatoes are evenly seasoned.
If you wish, you can also add other aromatic herbs or spices. There are many that go perfectly with potatoes, for example thyme, oregano, parsley, dill and pink pepper
Step 7. Bake the potatoes in the oven until they are golden and crisp
After mixing them to distribute the oil and other seasonings, place the pan in the hot oven. Let the potatoes cook for 30-35 minutes or until they are evenly crisp and golden.
Step 8. Serve the potatoes while they are still hot
When cooked, take the pan out of the oven and transfer the potatoes to a serving dish. Bring them to the table as a side dish while they are still hot.
Roast potatoes are an ideal side dish for skewered chicken, pork tenderloin or beef steak
Advice
- You will have much less effort to cut potatoes using a sharp knife, plus you will certainly get a more accurate result.
- Cutting potatoes into cubes takes longer than cutting them coarsely, for example to boil them with the intention of using them for mashing or adding them to a soup or stew. However cutting them into regular small cubes will cook faster and evenly.
