How to make traditional roast potatoes

Baked potatoes have become very popular, as they are perfect to accompany all kinds of dishes (they go well with meat, fish and vegetables), they are incredibly easy to prepare and they are delicious!

There are many ways to prepare roasted potatoes, but today we want to talk to you about how to prepare perfect roasted potatoes . The traditional way of preparing them is by playing with low temperatures and for a long period of time, and what you are looking for is to get a tender and tasty potato, with a well-roasted skin .

To achieve this, traditionally clay pots have been used, designed to cook delicious potatoes, chestnuts and vegetables. Emile Henry has based himself on these traditional pots to bring us what they have called the Potato Pot, and the results are fabulous.

Advantages of the Potato Pot Casserole for Roasting Potatoes

The Potato Pot is a high-quality ceramic casserole, based on a double pot: its base and lid are identical, spherical, distribute heat gently and evenly and allow slow cooking at low temperature, without the need for water or fat . It's time to get back to basics!

The great advantage of the Potato Pot is that it cooks the food while retaining all the flavour inside ( it is a truly natural cooking method ) and its gentle cooking helps you obtain potatoes and vegetables that are very tender inside and with a well-roasted skin.

All this with minimal complications : all you have to do is put the whole, unpeeled potatoes in the pot, add some kind of seasoning if you like (herbs, garlic, salt, pepper...) and put the pot on the heat. You turn it every 15 minutes, and the potatoes roast until they have a tender, tasty body and a nicely roasted skin.

Below we leave you a recipe to prepare roasted potatoes with a touch of garlic and bay leaves, and with a side sauce that you will love.

Other benefits and properties of Potato Pot

• Apart from potatoes, this casserole allows you to prepare delicious vegetables , tender and full of flavor, and also in a really simple way (you can see another recipe for vegetables further down in this post).
• With this casserole you are getting two great ceramic casseroles that can be used independently : both parts can be used on the stove (vitro or gas) and in the oven, so you can also make roasted meats and fish, stews, pottages in them... The only thing you have to keep in mind is that in these cases you usually will not cover the casserole or if you do you will not be turning it, and that the bottom of the casserole is not smooth (the ceramic makes a small relief or ridge), so you will need a little more oil or juice so that your food is in contact with it (although the relief is minimal).
• Despite what it may seem, it has a lot of capacity but does not take up excessive space (it measures 24cm in diameter by 16cm high), and you can store it with the lid inverted, one inside the other.

Baked Potatoes Recipe with Potato Pot, Cheese and Onion Dip

Ingredients (for 6 servings)

• 2 kg large unpeeled potatoes
• 2 cloves of garlic (unpeeled)
• 1 bay leaf

To serve with the potatoes:

• 200 gr of white cheese
• 1/2 bunch of chives
• 1/2 bunch of parsley
• 1 shallot
• fine salt
• a pinch of chili powder

Preparation

1. Wash the potatoes and place them whole and unpeeled in the Potato Pot.
2. Add 2 cloves of garlic and the bay leaf.
3. Close the pot and put it on the stove* at low power. After 5 minutes, you can increase the heat to medium.
4. After 15 minutes, turn the pan over (do not open it), using the handles designed for this purpose.
5. Turn the pot every 15 minutes until the potatoes are done (about an hour to an hour and a half, depending on how slowly you have allowed the cooking to take place and the heat to be turned down). After this time, you can open the pot without any problem and check with a toothpick or fork that the potatoes are now tender.

*You can put the Potato Pot in the oven and roast the potatoes there, proceeding in exactly the same way as on the stove.

To accompany the potatoes, we will prepare a cream cheese that will combine wonderfully and will be perfect for dipping: you only have to chop the onion, parsley and chives and mix them with the white cheese; add the salt and chili and mix everything (for all this you can use an electric mixer or a chop-chop mincer ).

When serving, open the still-warm cooked potatoes and place a spoonful of the cheese sauce you have prepared on top of or next to the potatoes, or in a ramekin .

Oven-Roasted Vegetables Recipe Using the Potato Pot

Ingredients*

• A bulb of fennel
• 6 carrots
• 2 onions or shallots
• Rosemary, Provencal herbs or various spices to taste
• Oil
• Salt
• Pepper (optional)

*You can substitute vegetables for those you like best: pumpkin, potato, beans, broccoli, leek, zucchini...

Preparation

1. Peel and roughly chop the fennel and carrots and add them to the Potato Pot.
2. Peel and quarter the shallots, and add them to the pan as well.
3. Sprinkle with herbs and spices.
4. Season with a little salt and, if desired, pepper (not too much, as roasted vegetables are delicious with their natural flavor).
5. Season with a small splash of oil.
6. Place the Potato Pot ceramic casserole dish on the stove or in the oven, first on low heat and then you can raise it to medium heat after 5 minutes. Keep turning the casserole dish every 15 minutes (you can use a timer to remind yourself).
7. You will see that after about an hour or an hour and a quarter the vegetables are tender and really tasty. You can serve them directly to the table in the Emile Henry casserole (if you keep it covered, the vegetables will stay warm for a long time).