A WINTER'S TABLE

Chopstick Potatoes
These are really simply a variation of classic roast potatoes, which need not be taboo to vegetarians just because they are traditionally cooked around a roast, or in meat fat in a separate pan. Roast potatoes cooked in olive oil are even tastier, and this 'chopsticks' slicing method not only makes for an unusual and attractive presentation, but means that the potatoes end up with more crispy outside bits! If you are cooking them in the oven with the pie, they will need to go in 10-15 minutes before it does.

Ingredients

45ml/3tbsp extra virgin olive oil
9 evenly shaped medium-sized old potatoes (about 1.35k/3lb in total)
coarse sea salt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 and grease a baking tin with 1 tablespoon of the oil.

2. Peel the potatoes and cut them in half lengthwise. Cook in boiling salted water for 5 minutes and then drain.

3. Place each potato half, cut side down, on a chopping board and place a chopstick running lengthwise on either side of it.

4. Using a sharp knife, make vertical cuts across the potato about 6mm / ¼in apart. (The chopsticks will prevent the knife from cutting right through the potato).

5. Arrange the potato 'chopsticks' in the prepared baking tin and drizzle the remaining oil over them, allowing it to seep into the slits.

6. Roast for about 1 hour (see above), or until crisp and golden. Baste the potatoes a couple of times during the process, sprinkling them with sea salt and pepper about 15 minutes before the end of cooking.