Description
This is an extremely flexible recipe. You can use the spice mix suggested, which is a blend of at least fifteen Moroccan spices, or go as plain as salt and pepper. For something in between, try the spices used in my Spicy Roasted Cauliflower.
Ingredients
1 pound (450 g) root vegetables (potatoes, sweet potato, parsnip, turnip, taro and/or beet)
3 tablespoons(45 mL) vegetable oil
4 teaspoons (20 mL) ras el hanout (or other spice blend)
1 teaspoon (5 mL) fine sea salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). If your oven has a convection setting, use it and adjust the temperature accordingly. Line three baking pans with parchment.
Wash the root vegetables. Leave the skin on or peel at your discretion. I leave the skin on for white potatoes but peel sweet potatoes. Slice the vegetable as thinly as you can. It’s more important to be uniform than thin so that the chips cook evenly. Aim for 1/16-inch thick but do not cut thicker than 1/8-inch.*
Place the slices on paper towel, blot dry. Arrange in a single layer on the baking sheets** Different vegetables cook at different rates, so if you are mixing vegetables, put 1 vegetable per pan.
In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, spices and salt. Brush on the chips with a pastry brush. Flip the vegetables over and brush the oil on the other side.
Bake for 10 minutes for 1/16-inch slices or 15 minutes for thicker. Remove the baking sheets from the oven, flip the chips over, and return the chips to a different rack for even cooking. Continue baking the chips anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes, depending on how thick the chips are and what vegetable you’re roasting. The chips are ready when they are golden and the edges curl or ruffle. (Keep an eye on the smaller chips as they cook faster.)
Transfer the chips to a layer of paper towel to cool. Eat as is, or dip in your favourite chip dip.
Once cooled, chips can be stored in a resealable bag, with the air squeezed out.
Notes
*A mandoline will reduce prep time considerably and allow for more consistent, thinner chips. If you don’t have a mandoline, you can slice more thinly and consistently if you cut the vegetable in half, place the cut side down and then slice half-moon chips. Most food processor slicing disks aren’t suitable as they slice too thinly and the chips will burn.
**If you have an ovenproof rack, place it on the baking sheet, set the coated chips on then bake. This eliminates the need to flip the chips.
This recipe is excerpted from The Messy Baker: More than 75 Delicious Recipes from a Real Kitchen by Charmian Christie.
Keywords: root vegetable, ras el hanout, sweet potato, beets, parsnip, turnip, taro