One Side Dish to Rule Them All: Crispy Oven Fries!
A zillion times healthier and nearly as tasty, oven-baked French fries are the only kind of fries we make at home. Not only is deep frying a whole messy operation, it’s also supremely unhealthy—yes, sadly, even when you deep fry in healthier fats like olive oil. We’re not opposed to deep fried foods, but we just aren’t in the habit of going to the trouble of making something that’s quite that bad for you that also makes a huge mess. So! When it comes to making fries at home, homemade french fries in the oven are where it’s at. You still get that satisfying, starchy-salty crispness, and they’re still highly dippable, so there’s very little compromise for a much healthier side dish with minimal clean-up. Win, win, win! This particular oven fries recipe is inspired by Greek fries, also known as patates tiganites.
What Are Greek Fries?
Greek fries, or patates tiganites, are a super popular food in Greece and they are—you guessed it—an iteration of French fries! They’re common in most Greek tavernas, and the best of the best are hand-cut and deep-fried in olive oil. Sometimes they’re topped with feta or lemon, but most always with a sprinkling of oregano as well as salt and pepper. Instead of topping this oven-baked version with feta, we’ve chosen to whip up a lightly lemony feta dip to serve on the side as a nod to the Greek inspiration for this oven-fry recipe.
How To Make Really Crispy Oven Fries
Cut the russet potatoes carefully into thin, fry-like strips. To the best of your ability, make sure that the fries are evenly cut—that’ll help ensure that all of the fries cook and crisp up at the same rate.
Soak the cut potatoes in cold water for at least 30 minutes, or as long as overnight. Soaking is key to making deep-fried French fries, and the same is true with oven-baked! It draws out the starch in the potatoes and helps achieve that crisp-on-the-outside / tender-on-the-inside goodness.
Bake, then bake again, and then broil! We hit these Greek-inspired oven fries with heat x3 to make them gorgeously golden and crisp. The first bake is at 425°F, then we crank it up to 450°F and then, last but not least, a quick moment under the broiler to really lock in that lovely crispness.
About That Feta Dip
Fries are great all on their own—especially these, with the flavor of extra virgin olive oil and a bit of oregano! But we love a great French fry dip—or, in this case, Greek fry dip!—and we really wanted to come up with something based on the fact that patates tiganites are so often paired with classic Greek feta cheese and dressed with a bit of lemon. Garlicky, salty, creamy and rich, this herby feta dip is easy to make and goes with everything—don’t feel that you’re limited to only serving it with these yummy fries. Try it with a vegetable platter, or as a sandwich topper. To make it, simply blend together:
Feta
Greek yogurt
Milk
Fresh garlic
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Dill
Basil
Oregano
Extra virgin olive oil
Lemon
Tools You’ll Need
More Greek Recipes to Try
Fries For Dinner? Yes Please!
Maybe not for dinner, but definitely with dinner! And since this Greek fries recipe is served with such a rich and delicious feta dip, it really is almost a meal in itself. Pair them with a big salad and make a simple piece of grilled fish and you’re good to go. When you make these oven fries, let us know how you like them, OK? Share a photo and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper so that we can see your stuff! Happy eating!
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