For crispy roast potatoes with fluffy white centres, it is best to cook them by themselves - not with the meat. Cooking them in a roasting dish with meat means they have plenty of flavour, but will be less crisp.

Ingredients

Method

1. - You need even-sized whole old potatoes or potatoes cut to the same size to ensure even cooking.
2. - Parboil first in boiling, salted water. Drain, then return to the saucepan and roll over a moderate heat until dry and the edges are slightly roughened.
3. - Put enough oil or fat in a roasting dish to cover the base and heat in the oven.
4. - Add the potatoes carefully then turn them in the hot fat. Season well with salt and pepper.
5. - Cook at 220ºC for 40 minutes to 1 hour depending on the size of the potatoes. Turn occasionally.

Cooks Tips

Variations - Slice into smaller pieces, parboil and cook with thickly sliced onion and crushed unpeeled garlic. Season well with salt, pepper and fresh herbs. - Use the same instructions for all varieties of kumara.