There’s a bit of effort involved here but take it from Tom, once you try this exciting alternative to roast potatoes, you won’t look back. Layers of thin crispy potato packed with garlic and herby flavours are sure to have your family and friends coming back for more!
Ingredients
Method
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 150C fan.
Step 2
Place the olive oil, butter, and bay leaves into a small saucepan. Gently bash the bouquet garni with the back of a knife to release extra flavour and add to the pan along with the garlic. Season with salt and white pepper and place over a medium heat. Bring to a simmer and then turn the heat down to low and leave to bubble away very gently for 5 minutes. Set aside to infuse for 10 minutes then remove the herbs.
Step 3
Line a medium roasting dish (approx. 24cm x 28cm x 8cm) with greaseproof paper. Slice the potatoes very thinly. Add a layer of potato slices in rows lengthways until the base of the dish is completely covered. Then add another layer of slices crosswise, covering the layer underneath. Brush with the herby butter mixture, sprinkle a layer of vegetarian parmesan on top and season with salt and black pepper. Repeat this layering process with the remaining potatoes.
Step 4
Cover the dish with a layer of greaseproof paper and sit a similar size roasting dish on top. Put a few heavy, overproof dishes on top of this for more weight, and bake in the oven for 2 hours.
Step 5
Remove from the oven and use a cocktail stick or skewer to check the potatoes are soft all the way through. Set aside to cool, with the weights still on top, and then refrigerate overnight.
Step 6
The next day, remove the weights and the roasting dish that’s sitting on top of the potatoes. Run a sharp knife around the edges of the dish to loosen the potato block from the sides, then flip the whole dish over onto a board so it comes free in one piece.
Step 7
With a large knife carefully cut the block into three strips, lengthways. Then cut each of these strips into 8 equal-sized cakes, giving 24 in total.
Step 8
Place a large, non-stick frying pan onto a high heat and add enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom. In batches gently fry each of the individual potato cakes for a few minutes on each side, and then place on a wire rack to drain.
Step 9
When you are ready to serve, re-heat the potato cakes for about 5 minutes in the oven. Mix the rosemary and salt together, and then sprinkle over the top of the cakes.
Tom's Tip:
Using a mandolin to slice your potatoes ensures they are all even and speeds up the process too. But use the guard to ensure you don’t slice your fingers!
