Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 220°C / 200°C fan / Gas 7. Place oil or goose fat in a large roasting tin — heat in oven until smoking.
- Par-boil potatoes in well-salted water from cold 8–10 minutes from the boil until just yielding at the edges. Drain thoroughly. Return to empty pan over low heat 1 minute — shake to dry.
- Shake potatoes firmly with lid on until visibly roughened and fluffy at the edges.
- Scatter semolina, salt, and pepper over potatoes. Toss to coat every surface.
- Working quickly, add potatoes to the smoking fat — they should sizzle immediately. Add garlic and rosemary if using. Return to oven immediately.
- Roast 45–55 minutes, turning once halfway, until deeply golden and shatteringly crispy all over. Drain on a slotted spoon. Serve immediately.
Notes
Use Maris Piper or King Edward only — never waxy potatoes.
The fat must be smoking when potatoes go in — not just hot.
Dry potatoes thoroughly before adding semolina — wet potatoes steam not roast.
Shake vigorously to roughen the surface — this is where the crunch comes from.
Turn only once during roasting — frequent turning disturbs the forming crust.
Do not crowd the tin — use two tins if needed.
Freeze par-boiled, semolina-coated potatoes for up to 3 months. Roast from frozen.
