Patate Fritte

I've had potatoes fried in every type of fat, and to be clear, they are all addictive (especially goose fat). But when I have potatoes fried in olive oil, I'm instantly transported. I'm in high school, sitting at the kitchen table, eating the potatoes directly from the plate my mom just dropped in front of me.  It's early and no one has arrived to the table yet, so I wolf down as many as I can to beat the rush. Suckers. We had potatoes that were fried like this so often that I could smell them from my room on the third floor, and would fly as down the stairs to begin my strategic game of eating more than my fair share.  

Frying in olive oil goes against everything I've learned about frying. It has a higher smoking point than other fats, so it's not ideal. But Italians DO fry in olive oil sometimes, and the combo of the olive oil and garlic with a few sprigs of rosemary makes for an intoxicatingly fragrant combo. I especially love the fried bits of rosemary that crumble over the crispy potatoes when you serve this. However, word of warning, it's all about watching the temperature. You want it nice and hot, so the potatoes don't end up greasy, but you also don't want it to smoke or burn. The trick is to watch the potatoes and make sure they are picking up color at a good rate, sizzling in the oil but not burning too quickly. 

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SERVING DETAILS

4 servings as a side-dish. 

INGREDIENTS

• 4-5 large yellow potatoes, such as Yukon Gold
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 springs of fresh rosemary
• Salt & olive oil

METHOD

1. Peel the potatoes and cut into 1 - 1.5-inch wedges or blocks. It's ok if they are irregularly shaped, just so long as they are all roughly the same size.
2. Using the back of your chef knife, or even your palm, crush the cloves of garlic slightly, and peel off the skin.
3. In a heavy-bottom skillet, or cast iron pan, heat enough olive oil to cover the pan to a depth of about 1/2 an inch. Add the garlic. 
4. When the garlic is aggressively sizzling, add the potatoes, the rosemary and a little course salt.  Using a spider or metal slotted spoon, toss the potatoes around the pan so they are coated in the oil. Allow to fry in the oil, watching the temperature as you go. Using a shake of the pan, or gently with a spider or metal slotted spoon, toss once in a while, so the potatoes get crispy on all sides, but beware of a heavy hand. If the potatoes feel like they are sticking to the bottom of the pan, don't touch them or push too hard or you'll risk breaking them apart. They will naturally come un-stuck as they crisp at which point you can toss them. 
5. When crisp, browned and fully cooked through, remove them from the hot oil using a slotted spoon or spider. The oil should stay on full heat as you do this, a lower temperature at the ends leaves you with a soggy potato. Transfer to a plate and toss with salt and the bits of the fried rosemary from the oil, and serve right away. It's a go-to side with any main, like a cotoletta, roasted chicken, or fish.