How to cook country-style potatoes with a crispy crust. Beautiful cutting of potatoes into cubes at home

Fried potatoes are a popular dish among the majority of the population. Tasty, aromatic, with a golden brown crust - few people will refuse such a treat. The nationwide popularity of fried potatoes is due to their ease and ease of preparation, as well as the availability of products.

But the taste and appearance of the finished dish depends on how the potatoes were cut for frying. In the culinary field, technological methods of cutting root vegetables are used, each of which has its own advantages and tricks.

How to properly cut potatoes for frying

Fried potatoes are a favorite treat for residents of the post-Soviet space. To prepare this dish, proper cutting of root vegetables plays a significant role. The juiciness and taste of potatoes depends on this.

When frying potatoes, the following cutting methods are used:

straws;

cubes;

cubes.

If you fry potatoes, the cutting method depends on the cooking habit. Before cooking, root vegetables should be thoroughly rinsed under running water, the “eyes” should be removed with a knife and the skin should be peeled.

The root vegetable will turn out delicious if you fry it in the form of thin strips. To do this, potatoes are cut across the root crop with a thickness of at least 1 cm, after which they are cut longitudinally into thin strips for frying. After cutting, the potatoes should be rinsed again under running water.

It is recommended to fry potatoes in a heated frying pan with sunflower oil. If you want to make homemade French fries, then fry the slices in a large amount of oil, but in small portions. This will allow the potatoes to fry and get a beautiful golden crust.

The potatoes are salted 4-5 minutes before the dish is served. At the same time, add ground pepper and other spices to taste.

Cutting potatoes into cubes

A popular way of cutting potatoes among chefs is to use neat cubes, thanks to which the dish will not be overcooked and will look appetizing. Diced potatoes are used to prepare first and second courses, as well as salads.

Technology for cutting potatoes for frying:

potatoes are peeled;

rinse under copious amounts of running water;

each root vegetable is cut into 3 layers;

cut the layer across, then lengthwise;

the result is neat cubes.

In this way, tubers of different sizes are cut.

How to cut potatoes for frying

Kitchen electrical appliances are used to cut potatoes, saving time and effort.

The main tools are a cutting board and a sharp knife.

Vegetable cutter, which is used for chopping vegetables.

Special attachments for cutting French fries.

As practice confirms, delicious dishes are obtained from potatoes cut into cubes from moderately starchy varieties.

This is done simply:

Place the washed and peeled potato on a cutting board, pressing it with your hand to the side of the center;

each tuber is cut into 4 slices - lengthwise and crosswise;

after this, each slice should be cut in half again - the result is thin crescents;

The potatoes are washed under running water to remove excess starch and excess moisture is removed with a towel.

After this, they begin to prepare the dish. Root vegetables are fried in vegetable oil in a hot frying pan, which is covered with a lid. Remove the lid 5-8 minutes before the end of cooking.

Potatoes cut into wedges are suitable for frying, making casseroles or the popular country-style potatoes.

The original version is fried potatoes in the shape of a spiral. Preparing fried spirals is not difficult. You can prepare the tubers using a food processor with a blade attachment. It is this attachment that is inserted into the top of the potato and scrolled from top to bottom. The result is a neat spiral, which is strung on a skewer and fried in vegetable oil.

Which potatoes taste better?

Durum potatoes are used for frying. When cooked, it does not lose its original shape and retains its beneficial qualities. Soft varieties of root vegetables may simply turn into puree when fried.

If the potatoes are cut too large, the cooking time will increase; if they are cut too small, you will end up with mashed potatoes during the frying process.

Fried potatoes with breadcrumbs

Fried potatoes breaded in breadcrumbs are an original alternative to a familiar and ordinary dish. If desired, bread crumbs are mixed with curry pepper, turmeric, ground pepper and other spices to taste.

Fried potatoes with breadcrumbs turn out very similar to french fries. Prepared without a lot of oil. In this form, root vegetables retain a maximum of vitamins.

Technology for preparing fried potatoes with breadcrumbs:

The tubers are cleaned and washed under running water.
Each potato is cut into cubes.
After this, the root vegetables are sprinkled with a small amount of vegetable oil and a mixture of spices and left for half an hour to marinate.
Then the potatoes are sprinkled with breadcrumbs and fried in a hot frying pan.
You can also bake the tubers in this way - place them on a baking sheet in layers, then place them in the oven for 15-20 minutes.

Inexperienced young housewives often do not know when to salt potatoes when frying. Salt the potatoes 5-6 minutes before the end of cooking, then cover the pan with a lid and let it cook.

Fried potatoes are a hearty and appetizing dish that is eaten on weekdays and holidays. Any chef can prepare a tasty, appetizing dish. Be a little patient while cooking and cutting potatoes. Aesthetic beauty is no less important than taste.

For many years, fried potatoes have occupied a leading place among the favorite dishes of residents of post-Soviet countries.

This popularity is due not only to the simplicity and speed of preparation, but also to the incredible taste of the dish, which goes well with both fresh vegetables and various pickles.

Experienced chefs say that the taste of fried potatoes largely depends on how the vegetable is cut. Therefore, today we will try to figure out how to cut potatoes for frying.

This method of chopping root vegetables is the simplest and most understandable. As a rule, cutting potatoes into cubes is most often used if the vegetable is intended to be used in the preparation of salads and various soups. According to experienced chefs, fried potatoes cut in this shape will be no less tasty.

Cutting potatoes into neat cubes is not particularly difficult. To do this, you should use a knife and a cutting board, on which a pre-washed and peeled vegetable is placed, which should be cut into two equal parts.

After this, one of the halves is cut into two more slices. For convenience, it should be laid with the cut part down.

If you use a large root vegetable, additional chopping into more slices may be necessary. Having collected all the slices together, you need to cut the vegetable into cubes using transverse movements with a knife.

Frying diced vegetables has its own advantages, because as a result, the connoisseur of fried potatoes will receive a dish in which every small piece will be covered with a crispy golden crust. At the same time, the inside of the potatoes will remain soft and juicy.

Straws are the form of potato cutting that most modern housewives prefer. The fact is that the vegetable, cut into strips after frying in oil, is very reminiscent both in appearance and taste of French fries, beloved by many. So, first you also need to peel the root vegetable and rinse thoroughly under cold running water.

The root vegetable should then be laid out on the cutting board on its side, after which a slice of 1 centimeter thick should be cut off. Identical strips should be formed from the cut slice, the width of which should correspond to the thickness of the slice.

Immediately before frying the chopped vegetable, it should be thoroughly washed again to get rid of excess starch.

Pre-peeled and washed potatoes should be placed on a board, securing them with your fingers on the sides. After this, the root crop is divided into four equal parts using longitudinal and transverse movements with a knife. Each formed slice is subsequently cut into two more parts so that the result is two identical slices.

The thickness of each block should be no less than 1 and no more than 3 centimeters, which will ensure proper roasting. It is also recommended to rinse the chopped potatoes again in a container with cold water.

It is better to fry the vegetable in slices in a regular frying pan with the addition of a sufficient amount of oil. This technique of chopping root vegetables can be found in such a popular dish as country-style potatoes.

Much less commonly used is the method of cutting potatoes for frying, which involves forming uniform circles from the vegetable. This method of chopping root vegetables is quite simple.

Peeled and washed potatoes should be placed on a cutting board with the side down and, using transverse movements, cut into uniform circles, the thickness of each of which should not exceed 5 millimeters.

This method of chopping vegetables is suitable for baking in the oven along with other ingredients, as well as for frying in a frying pan with vegetable oil.

In this case, when stirring the contents of the pan, you need to act extremely carefully in order to preserve the original shape of the main ingredient.

To make the task easier, modern housewives can always use various devices designed for cutting potatoes into shapes.

Such kitchen utensils will not only ensure the formation of identical pieces, but will also minimize the likelihood of injury when using a sharp knife.

Each dish requires a specific cutting of ingredients. Potatoes are one of the most common and popular ingredients for preparing breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, salads and much more.

This article will give you tips on cutting potatoes.

Potatoes cut into neat strips are ideal for deep frying. If you don't have a deep fryer, a heavy-bottomed frying pan or saucepan will also work (you'll need to pour a large amount into it).

How to do it right:

Select the potatoes
Suitable for large and medium sized root vegetables
Carefully peel the potatoes, cutting out all, even the most minimal damage.
Wash and dry the potatoes (you can simply wipe them with a towel).
Cut the potatoes into 3 slices (lengthwise)
Now cut each plate into strips about 1-1.5 cm thick (no more).
The ends can be left uneven

IMPORTANT: If you cook French fries, be sure to fry them in small portions. This way the potatoes will turn golden on all sides and have an elastic crust.

French fries"

How to beautifully cut potatoes into cubes?

Diced potatoes are often used to prepare first and second courses, such as soup or stir-fry. Preparing potatoes is very simple, for this you need:

Clean and rinse it
Dry or wipe with a towel
Cut each potato into 2 or 3 layers (depending on how large the potatoes are).
Cut each layer first along and then across
Depending on how large the cubes you need, you can cut the layer into 2 or 3 strips.

IMPORTANT: The advantage of this cut is that it can be obtained from any potato (small or large).

How to beautifully cut potatoes in the shape of a flower?

You don't often see potatoes cut and arranged in the shape of a flower. This curly cut is used for baking dishes in molds, combining it with vegetables or meat.

How to cut:

Choose large potatoes, which are ideal for creating large petals.
Peel and wash the potatoes.
Cut large potatoes in half
Then start cutting each half into thin slices (with a knife or using a slicer).
Start laying out the flower; to do this, the “petals” need to be folded in a circle.

How to beautifully cut a potato into a spiral?

To cut potatoes in the form of a spiral, you need to acquire a special device, which consists of an attachment, a knife and a skewer. The modern market has several of the most popular manufacturers of such spiral cuts.

How to do:

Place the potatoes on the holder
Insert knife
Start by running the knife from the top to the bottom of the potato.
Cut a spiral that is too long in half

IMPORTANT: Each spiral is initially or as it is cut, threaded onto a skewer (you can also use a wooden kebab stick). The potato spiral is fried in a large amount of oil, as in deep fat.

How to beautifully cut potatoes for soup, borscht?

Any dish should be not only tasty, but also beautiful. Of great importance for soup, borscht or pickle soup is the cutting of potatoes - one of the main ingredients. It is best to cut into small cubes for the first course.

How to make the cut:

Potatoes of any size need to be peeled and washed.
Cut the potatoes into 3 slices (if they are large, you may need 4 slices).
After this, cut each plate into strips 1 cm wide, which are then cut crosswise.
You should get neat 1 cm cubes.

How to beautifully cut potatoes into slices, in a rustic way?

Potatoes, cut into slices, are ideal for preparing a dish such as “country-style potatoes”.

How to cut:

Wash the potatoes thoroughly without removing the skins.
All pieces of dirt and shoots must be removed.
Place the potatoes on the board
Cut it in half but keep it whole
Depending on the size of the potato, make two or three more cuts.
The resulting slices can be fried

IMPORTANT: Country-style potatoes are fried in a large amount of oil, then placed on a paper towel (to absorb excess fat) and served, seasoned with crushed garlic and finely chopped fresh herbs.

How to beautifully cut potatoes into slices?

This type of potato cutting is suitable for making casseroles and stews.

How to cut:

Potatoes should be peeled and washed
Cut the potatoes in half
Take half the fruit; it should be cut with a knife or on a cutting board.

How to beautifully cut potatoes into cubes?

Wedges are cutting potatoes into thick strips.

How to cut:

Peel and wash potatoes
Cut each potato into 2 or 3 layers (depending on size).
Cut each layer into 3 or 4 strips

How to beautifully cut potatoes into slices?

This type of cutting is ideal for baking.

How to do:

Potatoes should be peeled and washed
You will need a cabbage shredder
The cutting can also be done with a regular knife, but the rings will be thinner.
Place the potatoes on the holder and start cutting into thin round slices.

How to beautifully cut potatoes thinly?

Thin slices of potatoes are called “pai”. I use it to decorate gourmet dishes, as well as add potatoes to salads.

How to do:

You will need a grater for Korean carrots
Choose the largest grater
Start grating the peeled potatoes (the process is labor-intensive, but possible).
Potatoes cut into thin strips are deep-fried until golden brown.

Video: “4 Fried Potato Recipes”

One of the most important steps in the cooking process is learning how to properly chop food. After all, there are no trifles in cooking, and such an action requires a certain skill. Take potatoes, for example. In most cases, at the initial stage after cleaning, it needs to be cut. Depending on the specific dish, the chopped preparations must have a certain shape. Let's say that for work you need rectangular blocks like straws. What should be done in this case? How to cut potatoes into strips? It turns out that this can be done in different ways.

French fries

Nowadays, fast food has become so popular that many even try to cook their favorite dishes at home. The banal force of habit works. As you know, no fast food establishment is complete without the famous French fries. Moreover, doing it is not at all difficult. The main thing is to give the main product the appropriate shape. Here the question arises: “How to cut potatoes into strips?” To do this, you can use the simplest method. The only tools you need are a sharp knife and a cutting board.

To understand how to cut potatoes into strips, you must strictly follow these steps:

The tubers must be peeled, washed and dried thoroughly with a paper towel.
To make the straw long, the potato must be placed on the board so that the knife blade runs along it.
The tubers should be carefully divided into even longitudinal rings.
Each workpiece must be cut into strips no more than 5 millimeters thick.

After this, the prepared potatoes can be sent in small portions into boiling oil.

The secret of the correct form

When ordering French fries in a cafe, people are often surprised at how even the sides of the fried pieces turn out. After all, this vegetable has an oval shape, and when cutting, some of the preparations should be slightly rounded. Here the chefs have their own secret. They know exactly how to cut potatoes into strips so that each piece has the correct shape.

The fact is that before chopping the tuber you need to:

First cut off the side longitudinal edge.
Rotate the potato 90 degrees along the axis and separate the same part on the other side. You get two flat sidewalls.
Place the product on one of them and divide into even pieces parallel to the second cut. Set the remaining rounded part aside.
Divide the resulting blanks into strips of equal thickness.

As a result, there will be neat large straws with regular, even sides on the cutting board. And the cut pieces of potatoes remaining after processing can be used to prepare other dishes.

Preparing for frying

Fries are just one way to fry potatoes. But most housewives rarely use it at home, mainly due to the high oil consumption. It is much more economical to simply fry potatoes in a frying pan. At the same time, it can also be crushed in the form of straws. In this case, it is better to use smaller or medium-sized tubers. How to cut potatoes into strips for frying? The technology of this method is much simpler than previous options. To work, you will need a cleaned and washed product. It must be dried first to avoid unwanted splashes from contact of moisture with boiling fat.

Processing of prepared potatoes takes place in three stages:

The first step is to cut off both tops of the tuber. So it becomes like a small barrel.
You should place it on one of the bases (the wider one) and, holding it with your other hand, carefully cut it into equal plates with a knife.
Without lifting it from the board, turn the product 90 degrees and do the same steps.

The result is a neat straw, the size of which depends on the selected thickness of the plates. The remaining ends can also be cut. True, they will be shorter than the others. But for frying it doesn't really matter.

Technology to help

Every housewife is familiar with the situation when, as they say, guests are already on the doorstep, and there is very little time left for cooking. For example, I would like to surprise them with thin fried potato strips, but I have absolutely no time to deal with careful slicing. What should you do in such a situation? How to quickly cut potatoes into strips? For such a case, there should always be special household appliances in the house. Today, purchasing it in a store is not difficult. You will need a regular vegetable shredder with an attachment for cutting into strips. With its help, in a matter of minutes you can turn any amount of potatoes into a mountain of thin, even pieces.

After that, all that remains is to fry them. If you are planning a side dish in the form of French fries, then the semi-finished product must first be poured onto a napkin to remove excess moisture. The product should not be piled up. It must be spread out in a thin layer and blotted several times while the oil is heating up in the frying pan.

Combined option

Each dish has its own special ways of cutting the original ingredients. For example, it cannot be said that potato straws can only be made with a sharp knife. There are many other options, and each of them is good in its own way. Let's assume that you need to prepare potato pie as a side dish. This is a very tasty product that looks very impressive on a plate. How to properly cut potatoes into strips for such a dish?

Experienced cooks in this case proceed as follows:

First, each peeled tuber is cut into thin slices. You can do this with a knife or use any mechanical chopper.
Then each plate must be chopped using a Korean carrot grater. The result is small straws no more than 2 millimeters thick. Plus, they will all be the same size.

After this, the prepared product can be further used for its intended purpose.

A good example

Recently, designers have developed many unique devices that greatly simplify work in the kitchen. For example, not long ago original potato cutters appeared on sale. A simple device invented by Chinese craftsmen. It is a plastic case, in the center of which steel knives are fixed in the form of a lattice. Looking at it, it’s easy to figure out how to cut potatoes into strips. The photo will help you understand this issue in more detail.

The operating principle of the device is extremely simple:

The peeled tuber must be placed on a cutting board.
Place a potato cutter on top of it.
Holding both hands at your sides, press firmly on the device.

The result is blanks of the same size and cross-section. By placing the potato in a vertical position, you can get large straws in a matter of seconds with minimal physical effort. The instructions show the operating principle of the device using photographs that clearly demonstrate the simplicity of its operation.

This is one of the most crucial moments! If you want a truly delicious dish, carefully evaluate the following factors.

Starchiness

Celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal says Heston Blumenthal's 10 tricks to the perfect roast potato that the most delicious country-style potatoes come from the dry, most starchy varieties - those that are easy. As a rule, such root vegetables have a light brown skin and almost white flesh. Starchiness will allow you to achieve the most impressive contrast between the crispy crust and the literally melt-in-your-mouth center of the finished dish.

But the distinctly yellowish, moist, dense, waxy potatoes should be put aside for some others.

Form

Small round potatoes are not your option. It is difficult to cut them in such a way as to get as many flat edges as possible. But the crispy fried edges in country-style potatoes are the key, perhaps the most delicious moment!

It is better to choose elongated potatoes about the size of a medium avocado. It can easily be cut into eight pieces, each of which will have three extensive flat edges.

There are different approaches here. But they are united by one goal: while preserving the skin and the recognizable, triangular shape that is important for country-style potatoes, make as many flat edges as possible.

The same culinary master Heston Blumenthal, for example, suggests cutting potatoes crosswise. First - lengthwise into two halves. Then, turning the potatoes 90 degrees, lengthwise again, you will get four identical elongated “slices”. And then in one movement - across.

This is really simple and fast, but not the optimal option. Students at the University of Essex carried out a simple geometric analysis of potatoes and figured out how to cut the root vegetable to get maximum crisp surface area.

The first step in their concept follows Blumenthal's practice: the potato is cut in half lengthwise. But then you need to turn the potatoes 90 degrees and cut them with a fan.

This cutting technique is called edge cut. You can learn more about mathematics and knife work in the video prepared by the students.

Students said that potatoes cut this way taste better. And they were not unfounded. The experimenters took the time to prepare a couple of hundred servings of country-style potatoes in traditional and new cuts. And then we sent the resulting dishes for tasting to friends on campus and to several nearby restaurants. Completely free, asking only that eaters compare and rate differently cut portions of potatoes.

Result: tasters liked edge cut potatoes more. So use the best practices and don’t say thank you!

How to cook country-style potatoes

1. Get rid of excess starch

Despite the fact that initially it is better to choose starchy varieties as more delicate, some of the starch still needs to be removed. Firstly, this will allow the potatoes to better hold their shape during heat treatment. And secondly, starch is excess glucose, which not everyone needs. Of course, first of all we are talking about those who watch their figure or suffer from.

A good way to get rid of excess starch is to place peeled and chopped potatoes in a saucepan and run under cold running water for 5 minutes.

2. Cook

Bring the water to a boil and place the prepared potato wedges into it so that the liquid covers them by at least 1 cm. You can salt the water, but it is not necessary. If you're a fan of subtle flavors, add a small bunch of thyme and a little lemon zest.

Put it in boiling water, this is important. The longer the tubers are in water, the more nutrients they lose, so our task is to cook them as quickly as possible.

Until ready. It is enough that the potatoes become soft and can be easily pierced, for example, with a knife or toothpick. This will take 7–10 minutes.

Don't let the vegetables boil! You need whole slices.

3. Dry the potatoes

Drain the boiled potatoes into a colander. If you are afraid that the potatoes will fall apart, use a slotted spoon. Using it, carefully transfer the slices into a colander or onto a prepared towel. Be careful and try not to get burned.

Wait until the water has completely drained and the slices have cooled.

4. Check for important cracks

If you do everything correctly, when it cools, the flat edges of the potatoes will develop small, shallow cracks. In the next step, these cracks will help the potatoes absorb the fat and get a really crispy coating.

If there are none, carefully work with a fork: make shallow holes on the flat edges of each slice.

5. Fry in your favorite oil

Some people prefer liquid peanut butter, some like olive oil, while others keep it simple and make do with regular sunflower milk. There are no uniform recommendations for selection.

The frying process may vary depending on where you plan to cook your potatoes.

The pan should be deep and wide enough to accommodate a single layer of potatoes. You can save a little on oil: 0.5–0.7 cm is enough.

Bring the oil to a boil over high heat, place the potato wedges over the entire surface and leave to fry for 5 minutes. Do not turn over so as not to break the slices before they set into a crust! And make sure the potatoes don't burn.

After the designated time, turn the potatoes over so that their unfried edges touch the bottom.

Fry over high heat, turning occasionally until evenly golden brown on all sides. Try not to overcook, otherwise the potatoes will acquire a characteristic burnt taste.

Country-style potatoes in the oven

You will need a deep and wide pan so that all the slices fit in one layer. It is worth pouring more oil so as not to dry out the potatoes.

Preheat the oven to 180°C, place the pan with butter in it and wait 15 minutes. When the oil is hot, add the potato slices, stir gently and return the pan to the oven. Let sit for 60-75 minutes, turning every 20 minutes to ensure even cooking on all sides.

Let us immediately warn you that you will not get that crispy crust, since the temperature in the multicooker is low and the potatoes will be boiled rather than fried. However, the crust - even if not ideal - will still be there, and the dish will still turn out delicious.

Pour the selected oil into the multicooker bowl so that it rises about 1 cm above the bottom. Select the “Multicook” or “Baking” mode with a temperature of at least 125–130 °C and bring the oil to a boil. Carefully place the potatoes into the bowl and, without lowering the temperature or turning the slices, leave for 20 minutes. If possible, leave the lid on to allow excess moisture to escape from the potatoes.

Then turn the slices over and leave again for 20 minutes. Depending on the desired degree of doneness and readiness, you can turn it over again and leave to fry for 10–15 minutes.

6. Add flavor to the dish

Crush a few cloves, mix with finely chopped rosemary and add to the potatoes 3-5 minutes before they are ready. You can also add a few whole garlic cloves and onions cut into rings. Don't forget to stir!

7. Serve the potatoes hot

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If you did not salt the water during cooking, sprinkle the potatoes with coarse salt to taste before serving. Garnish each serving with a sprig of rosemary.