For as long as I can remember, I have craved crisp potatoes in any form: hash browns, potato chips, french fries. I find them all irresistible. When I was a kid, my favorite snack was a can of potato “stix,” and for a recent birthday my celebratory lunch was a large cone of Belgian fries from a hole-in-the-wall frites shop.
It’s exactly that yearning that compelled me to the kitchen to come up with a way to hit the french fry spot more healthfully, so I could indulge more often with no downsides.
Mission accomplished. These are so good, I would go so far as to say I prefer them over regular fries, because they are enticingly crisp, taste somehow more potato-y, and have no greasiness.
To make them, cut russet potatoes into thin sticks, toss with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and spread them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Use two baking sheets if you need to so the potatoes don’t overlap, because they won’t crisp up as well otherwise. Then bake in a hot oven until they are crisp and golden brown.