Make your own crisps

Making your own potato chips takes a bit of practice but is a satisfying accomplishment and a good talking and bragging point if entertaining friends.

Frying chips in oil produces the most bought-like result but requires a lot more of your patient attention than an oven-baked approach. Baking chips allows you to more easily add different flavours, too. Here’s a quick recipe for baked paprika chips:

1kg washed potatoes (Maris Piper and Agria are good choices here)

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 teaspoons sweet paprika

1 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 200 degrees Celsius on fanbake.

Slice the potatoes as thin as possible, around 3mm – a mandoline will be your best bet. Rinse well under water. Drain potatoes and dry as much as possible with paper towels.

In a large bowl toss the potatoes, olive oil, paprika, and salt until the potatoes are evenly coated.

Arrange on lined baking trays in a single layer (you will need two trays or to cook in batches).

Bake until the crisps are golden.

It could take anywhere between 12 and 25 minutes, so just keep checking every five minutes until you’re happy with them, then take them out and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

The potato chips will continue to crisp up as they cool.

They are best eaten right away but will store in an airtight bag for a day or so.