It’s hard to improve on a good batch of french fries. Hot, crispy and salty, I could happily eat them straight from the basket with nothing more than ketchup. Greek fries, however, add a few extras that are right up my alley: oregano, fresh lemon, olive oil and crumbled feta.
Of course, adding toppings to fries is the easy part. Getting the potatoes themselves right takes a little more work. Homemade fries can turn out soft or greasy, and even a nicely crisp batch can lose some of that crunch once you start adding lemon juice and olive oil.
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As the founder of CAVA and Wildgoat Hospitality, Chef Dimitri Moshovitis knows his way around Greek potatoes, so we spoke to Moshovitis about all things fries. A good batch of fries starts before the potatoes ever hit the oil, but what you do once they do is important too. Moshovitis says just a few simple steps can affect how crisp and flavorful your fries turn out. His advice on when to season them is especially worth remembering the next time you make fries at home.
Here, he shares his recipe for authentic Greek fries, plus his tips for seasoning and getting them crisp and flavorful.
The Secret Step: The ‘Piping-Hot’ Herb Toss
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Don’t let your freshly fried potatoes sit around before seasoning them. Moshovitis tosses his fries with salt and dried oregano the second they come out of the fryer.
“When the fries are hot, there’s still a very thin film of oil on the surface, so the salt and dried oregano actually adhere to the potato instead of falling to the bottom of the bowl,” he says. “The heat also wakes up the oregano, releasing its aroma.”
The lemon comes later. “If I’m using lemon, I’ll add just a little right before serving so I get the brightness without making the fries soggy,” Moshovitis says.
Related: I Tried 14 Fast-Food Fries to Find the Best—and the Winner Won by a Landslide
The Pre-Game: Why You Can’t Skip the Ice Water Soak
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Before the potatoes go anywhere near the fryer, Moshovitis gives them a soak in ice-cold water. “I like to soak hand-cut potatoes in very cold water for at least 30 minutes and preferably 1-2 hours,” he says. “It draws excess surface starch from the potatoes, which helps keep them from sticking and gives you a cleaner, crisper crust.”
Just make sure you don’t take them straight from the water to the fryer. “After soaking, drain them and dry them completely with towels. This part cannot be rushed,” Moshovitis says. “Wet potatoes will steam rather than crisp, and adding water to hot frying oil is also dangerous.”
The Best Potatoes for Authentic Greek Fries
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For homemade Greek fries, Moshovitis recommends reaching for a starchy potato. “In the U.S., Russet potatoes are my first choice because they fry beautifully,” he says. Their higher starch content helps give the fries the fluffy center you’re looking for.
Russets aren’t the only option, though. “Yukon Golds are delicious and have a great, buttery potato flavor, but they produce a slightly creamier, less-fluffy fry,” Moshovitis says. “If I can get a good frying potato like an Agria or Kennebec, those are excellent as well. The important thing is to choose a mature, relatively starchy potato rather than a waxy one.”
Ingredients Needed
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Moshovitis’ Greek fries call for just a handful of ingredients, many of which you may already have on hand. Here’s what you’ll need to make four side portions:
2 pounds Russet potatoes Frying oil, as needed 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste 1 teaspoon dried Greek oregano ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons finely crumbled feta 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsleyHow To Make Authentic Greek Fries
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Once you’ve gathered your ingredients, here’s how to make Moshovitis’ Greek fries at home.
Cut and soak the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into roughly ⅜-inch fries. Immediately place them in ice-cold water and soak for 30 to 60 minutes. Dry the potatoes. Drain and rinse the potatoes, then spread them on towels and dry them completely. Fry them once. Heat the frying oil to 300°F. Working in batches, fry the potatoes for about five to six minutes, until tender and cooked through but still pale. Remove and drain on a rack or sheet pan. Let them rest. Let the fries rest for at least 10 to 15 minutes. Fry them again. Raise the oil temperature to 375°F. Fry for two to three minutes, until deeply golden and very crisp. Season while hot. Drain the fries briefly, then immediately transfer them to a mixing bowl. Toss with the kosher salt and oregano. Add the finishing touches. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil. Toss very briefly, just enough to coat the fries without softening them. Serve. Plate the fries and finish with crumbled feta, parsley and a final pinch of oregano.Related: The Italian Way To Make Sausage 10x Better
My Honest Review
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These took a little more work than the fries I usually make, but I’d make them again. They came out super crispy, and I loved the lemon with the salty feta. The lemon zest added even more brightness, while the oregano gave them a bold, herby kick.
And Moshovitis was right about seasoning them right away. The salt and oregano stuck to the hot fries instead of getting left behind in the bowl. The soaking, resting and double frying do add some time, so these probably won’t replace my usual fries, but when I’m in the mood for something different, they’re worth the extra steps.
The Key to Greek Seasoning
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Oregano is what gives these fries much of their Greek flavor, but Moshovitis specifically reaches for dried Greek oregano. “Greek oregano is much more assertive and aromatic than a lot of standard supermarket oregano, so you don’t need much,” he says.
From there, he recommends adding fresh lemon, extra-virgin olive oil, crumbled feta, finely grated kefalotyri or kefalograviera (firm, salty Greek cheeses), or even a little garlic. But Moshovitis says more isn’t necessarily better. “I don’t like burying the potato under 20 toppings,” he says. “A great Greek fry should still taste primarily like potato, olive oil, salt, oregano and lemon.”
Deep Frying vs. Oven-Baked: How to Get the Best Crunch
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For the crispiest Greek fries, Moshovitis recommends deep frying. “If we’re talking about the best possible Greek fry, deep frying wins,” he says. “You get a combination of fluffy interior, crisp exterior and that beautiful fried-potato flavor that’s difficult to duplicate in an oven.”
Final Thoughts
I’m usually happy with fries and ketchup, but these might have me branching out. The lemon and oregano really came through, while the feta added just enough saltiness without taking over. And yes, soaking and frying the potatoes twice was worth it. I’d make these again in a heartbeat.
Source:
Chef Dimitri Moshovitis is the founder of CAVA and Wildgoat Hospitality.Related: I’m a Pastry Chef, and This Classic Apple Dessert Has Been an After-Dinner Staple in My Family for 50 Years
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