Matchstick Potatoes Recipes

MATCHSTICK POTATOES

Steps:

• Peel potatoes and cut sides and ends flat so that potato is a solid rectangle four inches long. Adjusting your mandolin accordingly, cut potatoes into matchstick shapes or, using a sharp knife, cut them by hand, rinsing blade frequently to remove starch. Place matchsticks in a bowl of ice cold water. After five minutes pour off starchy water and refill. Put bowl in the refrigerator and let potatoes soak for an hour, then drain in a colander and pat them dry with a paper towel. You might hasten the drying by spinning them in a salad spinner.
• In a deep, heavy kettle with a frying basket, heat oil, which should be about two inches deep, to 350 degrees. Add potatoes a handful at a time. (Do not add too many potatoes at once or you will reduce temperature. Potatoes will be soggy and won't brown.) As they begin to cook, shake basket to separate them. If they clump, poke them with a wooden spoon or tongs. When they are crisp and golden, remove them from oil with tongs. Drain on paper towels. Add salt. Repeat in batches. Keep them warm and crisp in a low oven.

MATCHSTICK POTATOES

Steps:

• Peel potatoes and cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick julienne in processor or with mandoline. Transfer as cut to a bowl of ice and cold water and let chill in water at least 30 minutes.
• Heat 1 1/4 inches oil in a 6- to 7-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until thermometer registers 375°F.
• While oil heats, drain potatoes and pat completely dry between several layers of paper towels. Fry potatoes in 6 batches, gently stirring once or twice with a slotted spoon or skimmer, until golden and crisp, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per batch. Transfer potatoes with slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and season with salt. (Return oil to 375°F between batches.)

MATCHSTICK POTATOES - BAREFOOT CONTESSA - INA GARTEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Pour at least 1 inch of oil into a deep pot and heat it to 350 degrees.
• Slice the potatoes into thin matchsticks (1/8 inch thick) with a vegetable slicer or mandolin, dropping them into a bowl of cold water as you cut.
• Drain the potatoes and dry them thoroughly with paper towels.
• Drop the potatoes in batches into the hot oil and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden brown.
• Remove from the pot with a wire basket skimmer or slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
• Place on a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt, and keep warm in the oven while you cook the rest of the potatoes.
• Sprinkle the potatoes with parsley, if desired, and serve hot.

MATCHSTICK CHIPS

Steps:

• Square off four sides of each potato, then cut into 5mm slices. Stack the slices 2 or 3 a time and cut into thin 5mm sticks. Drop the chips into a large pan of cold water for 30 mins to get rid of excess starch.
• Drain in a colander, then tip into a clean tea towel, gather into a bag, twist well and whirl a few times in a large circle to spin out the water (this may be best done outdoors).
• Heat a deep-fat fryer, a third full of clean oil, to 180C. Fry the sticks, 2 handfuls at a time, in a chip basket, for about 2 mins until they are a crisp russet brown. Tip onto a paper-lined tray and sprinkle lightly with a little more salt.
• If making mussels too (see 'Goes well with') - while the mussels are draining and before you finish the sauce, place the potato sticks in a large shallow bowl, sift over the flour, cayenne and ½ tsp salt; mix well.

MATCHSTICK POTATO CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Melt half the butter in a pan and fry the onions for 5 minutes, or'til golden.
• Chop the remaining butter into small cubes.
• Spread half the potato over the base of a shallow oven-proof dish.
• Top with the anchovies and onion then the remaining potatoes.
• Pour half the cream over and then scatter with the butter cubes.
• Bake for 20 minutes in a hot oven until golden.
• Pour over the remaining cream and cook another 40 minutes or until the potato is tender.