As someone who exclusively used the stovetop for a period of time, I used to harbor the idea that things out of the oven were dry and tasteless – baked chicken, an ill conceived meatloaf – you get the idea. When a roommate this past fall showed me the magic of Sweet Potato Fries, though, I changed my tune. All you need is:

A sweet potato (1 serves 2 people)
Oil
Spices
A sharp, wide knife



First, preheat your oven to 450 or so.  You want it to be hot enough to roast the outsides of the fry while avoiding internal mushiness. And you’re probably hungry, so a fast moving potato fry is key.

The potentially hazardous portion of this recipe is the first step – cutting the hard-as-nails sweet potato into wedges. You will need to stick the knife in the potato and push down on the top of the blade, pretty intensely. The sweet potato will cleave with a nice, satisfying CHOP. Put the newly cut flat side face down on the cutting board and go at each half separately.  

Place your new wedges on a pan, and toss with plenty of olive oil, spices, salt and pepper. This past spring I acquired a rosemary plant that has now morphed into an uncontrollable bush. Luckily, rosemary is the ideal herb for sweet potato fries.  

Cook for 20-25 minutes, periodically moving the wedges around to redistribute the oil. I like to put the finished fries on a plate with a little cup ketchup for dipping, but the possibilities of accompanying sauces are extensive. Like many of my recipes, this is a seriously easy dish that will cost you under a dollar.  Get moving!