Roast potatoes

Ingredients

• 3 1/4 lbpotatoes, floury, such as Maris Piper or King Edward, cut into large even chunks
• 1/2 cupolive oil
• 2 tbspsea salt, for the water, plus more to finish
• 4 clovegarlic, unpeeled, lightly crushed
• 1/4 ozfresh rosemary, a few sprigs

Method

1. 1

   Put the potato chunks in a large pan of cold water with the salt, bring to the boil, and cook until a knife slides into the outside easily while the middle still resists. Drain them thoroughly.

2. 2

   Pour the olive oil into a roasting pan and put it in the oven at 425°F to get properly hot. Meanwhile leave the drained potatoes in the pan for a couple of minutes to steam themselves dry.

3. 3

   Put the lid on the pan and shake the potatoes hard several times, until every surface is scuffed and floury. They should look ruined.

4. 4

   Tip the potatoes carefully into the smoking oil, turn each one to coat it, and spread them out so none is touching another. Roast until deep gold underneath.

5. 5

   Turn the potatoes over, tuck in the crushed garlic and the rosemary, and roast until crisp all over. Scatter with a little more salt as they come out of the oven.