Roast potatoes are a staple of any Sunday roast, but adding one simple ingredient may help create incredibly crispy results. According to culinary expert Ella Mills, better known as Deliciously Ella, incorporating bicarbonate of soda into the boiling process yields "the best roast potatoes ever."
The Secret Ingredient
In a previous Instagram video, Ella shared her technique: "I have the secret to the best roast potatoes ever. You simply boil them with a little bit of bicarb. It helps release the starch so then you can roast them with rosemary, garlic, olive oil, and salt and get the crispiest outside and the fluffiest inside."
Additional details in the post's caption explain that simmering 1/4 teaspoon of bicarb with the potatoes "helps break down the surface of the potato, bringing the starch to the surface, so that they are fluffy on the inside and extra golden and crispy on the outside."
Step-by-Step Method
Ella recommends using 1/4 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda for 1.5kg of Maris Piper potatoes. After boiling, give them a vigorous shake after draining while heating oil in the oven for 10 minutes as the potatoes steam dry. Next, coat the potatoes in three tablespoons of white flour "to thinly and evenly coat."
Once the oil has reached temperature, Ella advises carefully adding the potatoes, tossing them in the oil, then adding three sprigs of rosemary and four cloves of garlic. "Roast for 55–60 minutes, turning the potatoes halfway through. Season with a sprinkling of flaky sea salt, to serve," she added.
Why This Works
The bicarb helps break down the potato surface, releasing starch that creates extra crunch. Combined with the traditional parboiling and shaking method, this simple addition elevates roast potatoes to new heights.
