Roasted Potatoes

My grandmother used to make the perfect roasted potato.  My mother used to try and make them but they always fell apart.  My mother once watched closely as my grandmother made them - and still couldn't get it right.

Perhaps this recipe will get me there. My grandmother (and mother) used to make them like this in a dutch oven, I think it's the shaking and the fat that make them that much better..  And now that the Launchpad has a new oven, I bet they will come out even better.  Recipe from Chocolate and Zucchini.

Perfect Roasted Potatoes
Prep Time: 10 minutes 
Cook Time: 35 minutes 
Total Time: 45 minutes 
Serves 4

Ingredients 

• 1.2 kilos (2 1/2 pounds) potatoes (waxy or floury -- both types will work equally well) 
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or duck fat 
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary (optional) 

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 210°C (410°F).
• If your potatoes are smooth-skinned, scrub them well and peel them in alternative stripes so that strips of skin remain. If, on the other hand, the skin of your potatoes is rugged and grainy, peel it off completely (no need to scrub) then rinse the potatoes well in cold water. 
• Cut the potatoes into even chunks, about 2 cm (3/4 inch) in width. Place them in a saucepan large enough to accommodate them, cover with cold water, and add 1 teaspoon coarse salt. Set over high heat, cover, bring to a low boil, then lower the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes. 
• As soon as the water boils, pour the fat into a rimmed baking sheet, and place the sheet in the oven, so the fat and baking sheet will heat up. 
• After the 5 minutes of boiling, drain the potatoes -- they will not be cooked at that point -- and return them to the saucepan. Add the fine sea salt and the rosemary, if using. 
• Place a lid on the saucepan. Holding the lid firmly shut with both hands (the saucepan will be hot, so wear oven mitts or use dish towels), shake the saucepan vigorously for a few seconds, until the surface of the potato chunks is fuzzy; this will help the formation of a crust. 
• Remove the baking sheet from the oven, pour the potatoes onto the sheet, and stir well to coat with the fat. 
• Return to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping the potatoes halfway through, until cooked through (when you insert the tip of a knife in one of the pieces, it should meet no resistance), crusty, and golden. If you want a little more color on them, you can switch to grill mode for the final few minutes. 
• Serve immediately.