How to Make Crispy French Fries in the Oven?

Makes 3 trays

Ingredients:

1. 5 big potatoes cut into french fries
2. 3 TBS olive oil
3. Salt to taste (optional)

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degree celsius.

2. Soak potatoes in a bowl of water with a pinch of salt for 15 minutes to remove the starch. Rinse several times until the water became clear. This will help the potato chips to be crispy. (If you have the time, you can soak it overnight in the fridge in just cold water without the salt.)

3. Drain the potatoes, and pat dry with kitchen towel.

4. If possible, set aside for 2 hours so that it can dry further.

5. Once dry, in a mixing bowl, toss and mix them well with olive oil.

6. Arrange into a single layer on a baking tray laid with baking paper. DO NOT overcrowd. If the potatoes are too close together, you will steam them rather getting them to be crispy.

7. In a baking tray laid with baking paper, lay them in a single layer without overlapping on the baking tray.

8. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden and crispy.

9. Remove from oven, sprinkle lightly with salt (optional) and serve :-)

Additional Information:

We had guest over and our Little FECS helped me to make these french fries. He cut the potatoes and dry them.

Additional Information:

Update: 10 August 2019

I prefer baking french fries, instead of deep frying them, as the former method is a lot healthier. However, baking does not always achieve the crispiness that I crave. J said that he learned at the Meyers Cook Camp we sent him to this summer that they should be soaked in water, but doing that didn't turn out crispy for me. I found out that besides soaking them in water, they have to be dried very well. After several experiments, I have found the secret to making really crispy french fries are as follows:

1. Cut them very thinly and not like fat wedges.

2. Pre-soak them in a bowl of water with a pinch of salt to remove starch and prevent over-burn fries, which are not crispy.

3. Dry them very well with clean kitchen towels. If possible, set them aside for two hours or prepare the night before and place them overnight in the fridge to dry.

4. Don't over-crowd them on the tray.

References:
https://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/crispy-oven-baked-fries/
https://cookieandkate.com/baked-sweet-potato-fries/

Soak potatoes in a bowl of water with a pinch of salt for 15 minutes to remove the starch - as you cut the potatoes, throw them into the water - that counts as part of the 15 minutes as well. Thereafter, rinse several times until the water became clear.

Drain the potatoes, and pat them dry with a fresh kitchen towel.

Set aside for two hours to let it dry even further.

Thereafter, mix them in a mixing bowl with 3 tablespoon of olive oil. Then arrange them in a single layer on the baking tray as shown in the picture, making sure not to overcrowd them. 

Bake in the oven for 45 minutes at 180 degree Celsius. Now its done :-)

Transfer it to a serving dish and serve with ketchup :-)