'Crispy' roast potatoes recipe takes just five minutes to prepare

Every home cook has tricks for cooking roast potatoes, with some opting for a dusting of flour or even a scoop of baking powder for added crunch.

Even then, crispy spuds can sometimes take a long time to cook - more than an hour. For those who struggle to master the art of crunchy roasties quickly, the potato experts at Branston have a solution.

Cue the Nemo potato variety that cooks much faster than traditional options like Maris Piper and King Edward.

The Branston team said: “Our top tip for the best-ever roast potatoes is to start with the best roasting variety.”

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They continued: “Nemo cooks around 25 percent quicker than most traditional potatoes, so it only needs a short par-boil before roasting.”

Chefs like Rick Stein’s cooking icon son, Jack, recommended 15 to 20 minutes of parboiling before roasting potatoes. This ensures extra crispy results.

But with Nemo spuds, this can be reduced to a mere five minutes without forgoing a golden, crunchy exterior.

Seasoning is still a must for delicious roasties, and the Branston team recommends a simple blend of garlic cloves, fresh rosemary, beef dripping, salt, and pepper.

After parboiling the Nemo potatoes, supreme crunchiness is achieved by “draining them dry and getting the fat good and hot”, said the spud experts.

Ingredients

1kg Nemo potatoes

200g beef dripping

Five garlic cloves

Four sprigs of fresh rosemary

Salt and black pepper

Method

First, preheat oven to 200C / Fan 180C / Gas 6, then peel and cut potatoes into quarters. Drop potatoes into a large pan of cold water and bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for five minutes.

Now, place the beef drippings into a roasting tray and cook in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and add the garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper into the pan. Shake vigorously until the potatoes are fluffed around the edges.

Carefully place potatoes in the hot beef dripping and in the oven for 45 to 50 minutes, turning every 15 minutes for extra crisp results. Once golden, take the roasties out of the oven and serve.