How to make the perfect roast potatoes

Fluffy in the middle and crunchy on the outside. Rachel Allen takes us through her golden rules for the perfect roastie.

The question you ask us most often, is what’s the secret of roast potatoes that are perfectly crisp on the outside, yet fluffy within. Here are food writer and TV presenter Rachel Allen’s golden rules:

- I use golden wonder potatoes, which we have a lot of in Ireland. They’re floury so they make gorgeous roast potatoes, but be careful when cooking them as they’re quite delicate.

- It’s important to roughen the edges of the potatoes slightly before roasting. My grandmother used to put the spuds back in the pan after parboiling and draining, hold the lid on and shake gently. The frayed edges fry in the oil and crisp up.

- Duck and goose fat give the best crunch, but I’ve found olive oil can work almost as well.

- I also sometimes toss them in semolina four, for added texture. And don’t forget a generous pinch of sea salt fakes. When keeping roast potatoes warm, leave them uncovered so they stay crisp.

- Other floury potatoes guaranteed to make good roasties: rooster, king edward and maris piper