Would you like fries with that?

Pommes Frites al Forno
Pommes Frites, translates to “French Fries” in French, and al Forno translates to “from the Oven” in Italian. This dish is not the collaboration between two culinary rivals, but the name I give to my version of Oven Fries. I love the skinny French (actually Belgium) style of fries. (There are certainly some opposing opinions to both the origin of the fry and the best way to make them. Rather than get in the middle of any sort of controversy, my version of fries is deemed International- being both French and Italian.) Since I am not fond of deep-frying at home, I instead cut potatoes into thin strips and bake them in the oven, resulting in a healthier version of the skinny “European” style fry. I also like to serve my fries with a few easy-to-make dipping sauces, though one can never go wrong with classic ketchup. The proper accompaniment for French Fries, is yet an entire other International debate…

Pommes Frites al Forno

Serves 4

Ingredients
- 3 large white potatoes
- coarse salt
- about 1/4 cup olive oil/vegetable oil


Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Cover 2 large sheet pans with parchment paper. Peel the potatoes and immediately place in a large bowl of water. With a sharp knife, cut each potato in half and then into 1/8 of an inch strips. Cut each strip into1/8 inch thick pieces, so that you have long, skinny potato slices. If the potatoes start to turn brown, place them in a large bowl filled with cold water. Place the potatoes on the sheet pans spread evenly apart and toss with oil and salt. After 15 minutes flip the fries using a large metal spatula. Bake until crisp and golden brown, about 30 minutes.


Dipping Sauces for Pommes Frites al Forno

Honey Mustard Sauce

Ingredients
- 1/2 cup yellow mustard
- 1/3 cup honey

Mix the honey and mustard together. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.


Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce

Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup blue cheese
- 1 tablespoon milk
- dash of vegan Worcestershire sauce
- pinch of salt
- fresh ground pepper

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.


Herb Dipping Sauce

Ingredients
- 1/3 cup fresh herbs (flat-leaf parsley, dill, or basil), finely chopped
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- pinch of salt
- fresh ground pepper

Blend together all the ingredients. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.