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Roast potatoes: even pieces and a golden finish

For oven-roasted potatoes, cut even-sized pieces, leave room on the tray and check the centre as well as the colour before serving this side dish.

potatoesovenside dishtechniques
Roast potatoes: even pieces and a golden finish
Generated illustration.

Even-sized pieces, room on the tray and a check in the centre are the key pointers for these roast potatoes. Olive oil and thyme accompany a single oven cooking stage, without boiling first. The base makes four side portions.

servings
4
Preparation
15 min
Cooking
45 min
Rest
0 min

Steps

  1. Cut while the oven heats

    Set the oven to 200 °C fan. Wash, peel and dry the potatoes, then cut into even pieces about 3 cm across. Preheat during the 15 minutes of preparation; wait until the oven has actually reached its setting before putting the tray in.

  2. Distribute the oil and herbs

    Toss the pieces in the bowl with the oil, thyme, salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer on the tray without piling them up. Place a flat side against the metal where possible.

  3. Roast and turn

    Place on the middle shelf for about 45 minutes of actual cooking. After 25 minutes, remove the tray with oven gloves and turn the pieces with a spatula. Close the oven and cook for about 20 minutes more, watching more closely towards the end.

  4. Check before serving

    Pierce the centre of a large piece and check the colour. Add a few minutes of cooking if needed. Using dry oven gloves, place the tray on a heat-resistant support and serve immediately. Do not put the hot tray directly on a delicate surface.

Pointers for success

  • Allow 60 minutes overall with no rest, preheating during preparation; adjust this guide to your oven.
  • Use a spatula to turn the pieces: shaking a hot tray makes the movement harder to control.

Substitutions and limits

  • Use finely chopped rosemary instead of thyme, or leave out the herbs.
  • Do not automatically apply this time to other vegetables: their water content and the size of the pieces change cooking.

Give the pieces room

Spread the potatoes in a single layer with small gaps. If they overlap, use another tray if your oven allows, or reduce the quantity. A crowded tray holds moisture: turning the thermostat up sharply will not create more space.

Dry the potatoes after washing. Toss with the oil in a large bowl to coat the pieces without leaving puddles beneath a few of them. Separate tiny scraps: they colour well before the larger pieces and may burn.

Look at the colour and test the centre

Towards the end, pierce one of the largest pieces: the point should enter easily beneath a golden surface. If the edges are already coloured but the centre resists, lower the oven temperature and continue watching. Aim for golden rather than very dark brown.

The 45 minutes start in an already-hot oven; preheating is planned during preparation. Add time if your oven heats more slowly. Variety, piece size and the oven itself may also extend cooking.

Serve straight from the oven

Use a heat-resistant serving dish and a serving spoon. As the potatoes wait, especially in a closed container, their crispness gradually gives way to softness. For leftovers, follow the hygiene precautions in the preparation planning guide.

Sources for this page

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