Potato Shapes (Filberts, Dominoes, Strips)

Ingredients

• 4 large potatoes (Choose large, firm potatoes that are easy to trim into neat shapes. Peel them before shaping.)

Instructions

1. 1Wash the potatoes thoroughly under cold running water to remove any dirt. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the skin off all the potatoes completely. This gives you a clean surface to work with when trimming into shapes.
2. 2Using a sharp knife on a stable chopping board, trim each peeled potato into your chosen shape. For filberts: carve the potato into small oval shapes resembling a hazelnut, roughly the same size each time. For dominoes: cut the potato into flat rectangular pieces, all the same thickness and width, resembling domino tiles. For strips: cut the potato into long, narrow, even strips similar to thick matchsticks. Be precise and take care — uniformity in size is essential so that all pieces cook at the same rate. Set the trimmed pieces aside. Keep the offcuts; they can be used for mash or soup.
3. 3Place all your trimmed potato shapes into a large bowl of cold water. This removes excess surface starch, which helps the pieces fry more crisply and evenly. Leave them to soak for at least 10 minutes. When ready to cook, drain the potatoes and pat them very dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Removing as much moisture as possible is important for safe, even frying.
4. 4Fill a deep, heavy-based saucepan or deep frying pan with enough oil to fully submerge your potato shapes — the oil should be at least 7–8 cm (3 inches) deep. Heat the oil over a medium-high heat until it is hot but not smoking. To test the temperature without a thermometer, drop in a small piece of potato — it should sizzle immediately and rise to the surface within a few seconds. Carefully lower a single layer of the potato shapes into the hot oil using a slotted spoon or spider strainer — do not overcrowd the pan, as this will lower the oil temperature and result in soggy potatoes. Fry the shapes, turning occasionally, until they are golden and cooked through. The exact time will vary depending on the size and shape: strips may take around 3–4 minutes, domino pieces 5–6 minutes, and filbert shapes 6–8 minutes. Remove the fried shapes with the slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat in batches until all pieces are cooked. Careful and attentive cooking is essential — watch the oil and the potatoes closely at all times.