An easy recipe featuring sweet potatoes crescents seasoned with smoked paprika and roasted.
HOW TO ROAST SWEET POTATOES
Roasting yields great texture and big flavor. So how do you roast sweet potatoes? The first step is cutting them the into right size.
THE RIGHT THICKNESS
I've found that one of the most important practices to get a crispy texture on roasted potatoes is to cut them at just the right thickness. If you cut them too thick, and the outside burns before the inside cooks through. Also, uniformity in size is important when roasting. Here is my foolproof method for cutting uniform pieces:
Cut the potatoes into fourths lengthwise. Then, cut each quarter into ½" pieces. Do you have a kitchen ruler? It is one of my favorite (and least expensive) pieces of "cooking equipment."
THE OIL
Now that you have your sweet potatoes cut into perfect little crescents, the next step in perfectly roasted potatoes is the oil. Olive oil will do just fine for this recipe, but if you don't have olive oil, you could substitute canola with no problems at all. When roasting potatoes (or any vegetable for that matter) it is important that each piece is evenly coated in oil. The oil not only encourages browning, it also keeps the potatoes from burning and helps the seasoning to stay in place.
GIVE 'EM SOME SPACE
Don't crowd the sheet pan when roasting. One key element of roasting is air circulation. If your potatoes are on top of one another or crammed together side by side, air cannot circulate between them, and instead of roasting they will steam. This would yield a soggy batch of potatoes. No thanks, right? If necessary to keep from overcrowding the pan, use two sheet pans rather than just one.
THE TEMPERATURE
After your potatoes have been coated with oil and seasoned to your liking (or ya know...according to this AH-mazing recipes specifications), it's time to transfer them to the oven. When roasting, the higher the temperature you can get away with, the better. However, sweet potatoes contain their fair share of natural sugars, meaning they are more susceptible to burning.
The best temperature to roast sweet potatoes at is 400°, any temperature exceeding this will likely cause the sweet potatoes to burn before they have cooked through.
The end result is a bit divine I must admit.
Roasting sweet potatoes brings out their natural sugars within, and a dusting of smoked paprika adds a bit of complexity and a big bang of flavor. In my book, there is no better way to consume these glorious little bites of sweet and crunchy goodness. However, if you're not into smokey things, no problem. Just omit the paprika and you're left with a perfectly roasted sweet potato crescent. Please, enjoy!
Roasted Sweet Potato Crescents
Ingredients
- 4 Sweet Potatoes peeled, cut into ½" rings and cut in half to form a crescent shape
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 tsp Kosher Salt
- ½ tsp Black Pepper
- ½ tsp Smoked Paprika
Instructions
- In the oven, center two oven racks, making sure there is enough room for air to circulate in between them. Preheat oven to 400° and have ready two rimmed sheet pans lined with nonstick aluminum foil.
- Add sweet potatoes to a large mixing bowl, drizzle with olive oil and season with remaining ingredients. Toss until potatoes are coated evenly with seasoning and oil.
- Divide the potatoes between the two baking sheets and roast 30-35 minutes, rotating sheet pans half-way through the cook time. Cook until the edges of the potatoes are darkened and crispy. Serve and enjoy.
Nutrition
Would pair well with:
Sausage and Gouda Breakfast Sausage,, Kielbasa Dogs, Smoky Skillet Cheeseburgers, Whole Roasted Chicken, Roasted Turkey, Rosemary & Lemon Pork Chops, Rolled Pork Loin
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