Master Recipe
Oven-Fried Sweet Potatoes
serves 4
NOTE: Make sure to handle sweet potatoes with a thin metal
spatula in the oven. You need to loosen them carefully from the
baking sheet so that the crusty exterior does not rip or stick to
the pan.
4 teaspoons peanut oil
2 pound sweet potatoes (3 large), scrubbed
Salt and ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Place 1/2 teaspoon oil on each of two rimmed baking sheets. Use paper towel to spread oil evenly over entire surface and place both sheets in oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut each sweet potato from end to end into eight thick wedges. Toss sweet potatoes and remaining tablespoon of oil in medium bowl to coat; season generously with salt and pepper to taste and toss again to blend. Carefully remove one baking sheet from oven and place half of sweet potatoes on baking sheet cut-side down; spread them out so they do not touch each other. Place baking sheet back in oven and repeat process using second baking sheet and remaining sweet potatoes.
3. Bake until cut side of sweet potato touching baking sheet is crusty and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully turn sweet potatoes, using a metal spatula to loosen them from baking sheet. Bake until second cut side of sweet potato now touching pan is crusty and golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Use metal spatula to transfer sweet potatoes to platter and serve immediately.
VARIATION:
Sweet Potato Oven Fries with Indian Spices
Combine 1 teaspoon ground turmeric, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, and 11/2 teaspoons curry powder in small bowl. Add spice mixture to potatoes along with salt and pepper in step 2.