The combination of cooking in salted baking soda water and the use of duck fat and the self-mashed coating makes these roasted potatoes especially crispy.
Other saturated fats could be used instead, but duck seems to be the most effective.
Starting in boiling water and cooking for only ten minutes ensures that the outsides are cooked enough to self-mash, while the insides are still strong enough not to break during the process.
The same pot and lid are used for both steps, so don't wash them until the potatoes are in the oven.
Prepare
Potatoes:
Bring 2 L Water to a boil.
Then Add 25g Salt.
5g Baking Soda.
1 kg - White Potatoes cut into 2" - 3" chunks. (Small potatoes cut in half is ideal)
Return to boil.
Simmer until a fork penetrates a couple of millimetres (about 10 minutes).
Drain and allow to dry in pot.
Meanwhile, crush in a pestle:
3 cloves Garlic (minced).
Fry at medium heat until garlic just starts to brown (about 3 minutes):
30g Duck Fat (or butter).
Crushed garlic.
Meanwhile, crush in a pestle (don't bother to clean garlic residue):
to taste Rosemary.
to taste Black Pepper.
Add to frying garlic for a minute or so:
Crushed rosemary and pepper.
Bake
Add flavouring to the pot of potatoes.
With lid on pot, swirl and shake a few times until all potato pieces are lightly coated with mashed potato. (Only enough to slightly damage but not destroy the potatoes.)
Transfer potatoes to a foil-lined sheet.
Bake potatoes in oven at 450°F for about 20 minutes.
