Crispy Accordion Potatoes Recipe - Tasting Table

"TikTok has given us an endless supply of food hacks, unique cooking techniques, and easy recipes to try at home. Some are viral sensations that become staples in our dinner repertoire (looking at you, Trader Joe's dumpling bake) while others fall a little flat, the end result turning out too good to be true after all. There's also a third type of recipe, one that is delicious but requires a little more work than the videos let on, and the end results require a little time and practice to perfect. With this type of recipe, the techniques are usually well worth the effort, giving us a new way to eat some of our favorite foods."

"Crispy accordion potatoes are a recipe that took me some time to perfect. The viral slicing technique turns slabs of potatoes into springy, bouncy fries with a texture somewhere in between waffle fries and hasselback potatoes. With practice, they don't even take too long to make, meaning I can have a fun and impressive side dish that's far healthier than a bag of previously-frozen french fries. The key is choosing the right potato, soaking off the starch, buttering up the slices, and roasting until just crispy - but once perfected, it's a fun technique that makes for a fluffy, fry-like potato that makes any meal just a little bit better."

"The potatoes I call for using in this recipe are Yukon gold potatoes, which are creamy and fluffy without being too buttery to hold their shape. You can also use Russet potatoes, which are often used for home fries for being equally starchy and soft. Avoid using sweet potatoes, which are too soft to hold the shape, and red potatoes, which are too starchy to soften into a fluffy texture. From there, the ingredient list is simple. You'll just need butter, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and flaky salt and parsley for serving."

TikTok provides food hacks, cooking techniques, and recipes that range from reliable viral staples to results that fall short. A third category includes recipes that are delicious but need more effort than videos suggest, with techniques that reward practice. Crispy accordion potatoes use a viral slicing method to transform potato slabs into springy, bouncy fries with a texture between waffle fries and hasselback potatoes. The process emphasizes choosing the right potato, soaking to remove starch, buttering the slices, and roasting until just crisp. Yukon gold or russet potatoes work best for holding shape and achieving a fluffy interior, while sweet and red potatoes are less suitable. Simple seasonings include butter, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and flaky salt and parsley for serving.

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