A mammoth undertaking

I’ve never been particularly keen on potatoes. They are a staple part of my diet, but I much prefer them to taste of something other than potato – such as roast potatoes with goose fat, mashed potato with lots of cream and cheese, or chips with vinegar. I simply won’t eat plain boiled potatoes, not even boiled new potatoes with lots of butter; they just do nothing for me.

However, recently I have surprised myself by cooking and enjoying baby new potatoes, roasted according to a recipe given to me by my sister. Pre-heat oven to 180 deg C. Take some really little baby new potatoes, still in their skins, and give them a quick wash and scrub. Cut the larger potatoes into two, or even into four, leaving the very smallest ones whole, so that all the pieces are pretty much the same size, about 1.5-2cm across. Put in a plastic bag. Add a couple of glugs of olive oil, and optionally some chopped rosemary. Close the bag, and give it a good shake to cover all the potatoes with a coating of olive oil. Tip the potatoes out onto a baking tray and put into the oven for about 35-45 minutes, shaking and turning occasionally to stop them sticking.

The recipe seems pretty much fool-proof. The oven temperature can vary a bit if you are cooking something else at the same time. And the length of cooking time seems not to be critical – if you overdo it the potatoes go browner and more wrinkly, but still taste just as good.

According to my sister, any left-overs can go in the fridge and are delicious cold the next day. However, I am unable to corroborate this. I have not yet had any leftovers whatsoever – they’re so tasty that however much I cook, I manage to eat the lot in one sitting. I even had thirds on Wednesday, which for someone who claims not to like potatoes is rather excessive!