My smash hit crispy potatoes

Here’s the thing: I REFUSE TO PARBOIL. Who has time for that? Instead my trick is to cut potatoes into perfect bite sized pieces, season well, coat with polenta, and cook in a super hot oven, making sure you forget to check on them while you enjoy a drink and a chat with friends and family, and come back to find they have formed a crunchy golden crust and look absolutely divine.

what you need

• red waxy potatoes, such as Desiree
• 1 – 2 cloves garlic, crushed or grated
• a few sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves pulled off and finely chopped
• approximately 2 tbsp coarse polenta {not the quick cook one}
• 1/2 to 1 cup extra virgin olive oil, depending how many potatoes you are cooking
• Sea salt and lots of freshly cracked black pepper

what to do

• Heat the oven to very high, around 230 C.
• Peel and cut the potatoes into quarters or a large-ish dice, depending on their size. In a large baking dish combine all the ingredients until the potatoes are coated well. Use enough polenta to just coat all the potatoes, it’s this that gives them the extra crunch as well as flavour. Use enough oil to coat without everything swimming in it.
• When the oven is ready, put the potatoes in, roast uncovered on high for about thirty minutes, and DON’T TOUCH THEM UNTIL THEY FORM A CRUST. Then you can turn them over, and give them around forty-five minutes all up.