International Other recipe from the Wikibooks Cookbook.
Potatoes Oil, fat (goose or duck), or lard Salt (optional) Water
Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F, gas mark 7). Peel the potatoes, and slice them into quarters or eighths depending on the size of the potato. Smaller pieces tend to make crispier roast potatoes, and larger pieces tend to make softer ones. Put the potatoes in a saucepan of water, and add a pinch of salt if you wish. Cover, bring the contents to the boil, and allow to simmer for 10 minutes to parboil the potatoes prior to roasting. Drain the potatoes, either removing with a slotted spoon or with a metal colander. Replace the lid and shake the potatoes vigorously for 20–30 seconds. Lightly coat potatoes with oil or fat, such as by hand tossing in a bowl, and place in tin. A deep tin is safer than a shallow tin, as shallow tins tip easily, spilling any loose oil. Sprinkle salt over the top of the potatoes. Place in oven, then roast for 20–50 minutes—tastes and ovens differ—or until the potatoes are golden brown. Remove them from the oven. Be careful if there is any excess oil in the pain—it is hot and can cause burns. The safest thing is to let potatoes cool to 30–40°C in oven before removing, or alternatively to carefully pull the tray partly out, and remove potatoes individually with tongs or a metal spoon. Serve hot; they can be kept warm in the oven, but should not be piled up much, if at all.