Homemade Oven Fries

Throughout my life I know I've eaten more than my fair share of potatoes (and I'm totally OK with that). In fact, my love of the spud is well known by my friends and family! It's because of this love (gluttony) that I like to think of myself as having a PhD in Potato, with a minor in french fries. I ... adore ... chip wagon fries. When I was pregnant with Cub twelve years ago I had a craving like no other for chip wagon fries. I've always been a Potatoaholic but this was a desire for the spud so deep that I had Brad drive me around God's creation in search of a chip wagon/fry van .... in April. Um, ya. Sadly (yet not surprisingly) we weren't successful in our (my) search. If I had had this recipe (or less Pregnancy Brain) I could have made my own fine self a heaping plate'o'potatoey goodness in the comfort of our own home! Live and learn.

One might ask why I don't just buy one of those home deep fryers. Brad and I have a unspoken rule about not buying one of those machines. The reason? We don't trust ourselves. We have no will power and we'd be deep frying pickles, Mars Bars, dirt from the ground. Just cuz we could!

The kitchen gadget that I do cherish though is my dear Nana's old french fry maker (see picture above). Didn't everyone's Nana have a french fry maker?!?! Or perhaps that's where my Mom and I get our addiction to the spud? Something to ponder. Anyway, this delicious little contraption is metal and old ... and cuts the best fries ever! I highly recommend getting one (preferrably not one of the plastic varieties because I just can't see them holding up to the hardiness of the mighty spud). If you don't have one of these beauties then you can just use a knife. Make sure you try to make your fries as uniform as possible to help them cook evenly.

This recipe is a very easy way to get the taste of deep fried skin-on fries while greatly decreasing the artery clogging oils so that I can live another day to eat another potato!! If you love New York Fries in the mall give this recipe a try. There is never a fry standing when I make these! So easy, yet sooooo goooood! Enjoy!


4 large Russet potatoes (baking potatoes), scrubbed (we leave the skins on)
Vegetable oil
Salt

Preheat oven to 400F.

Using a fry cutter (see top picture) place each potato into the hopper and push down on the handle until the potato comes out the other side in fry form. If the potato is too big cut it to fit.

Place fry pieces into a large bowl of water while you continue to cut more fries. Drain water from fries using a large colander and rinse them with cold water. Drizzle oil over potatoes. Use just enough to lightly coat them (they shouldn't be swimming in it!). Sprinkle salt over them liberally.

Pour fries onto a baking sheet. Try to make sure each fry has contact with the baking sheet (this will help them brown nicely). Place in oven and bake for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and flip fries. Return pan to oven and bake for another 12-15 minutes or until fries are tender and browned. Depending on how much oil you used you may want to drain the fries on several layers of paper towel before serving. Serve with ketchup and malt vinegar!!!

Yield: 4 servings for non-Potatoaholics (perhaps 2-3 servings for spud lovers)