Recipe #17: Пържени картофи със сирене (French Fries with Cheese)

While early fall in Bulgaria is the time for eating peppers, late fall and winter is the time for eating potatoes. Truth be told, both peppers and potatoes are eaten year round, but potatoes are a definite staple during the coldest months in Bulgaria. I'll be dishing out some potato recipes in the coming weeks, but I felt compelled to start with the favorite one of Bulgarians and visitors alike: пържени картофи със сирене (French fries with feta cheese). This recipe combines some things I've picked up from my Belgian sister-in-law and her family with some things I've learned in Bulgaria and some of my own preferences. The result is consistently scrumptious fries.

1. The first step is to pick the right potatoes. Belgians would never use anything other than Bintje potatoes, but they aren't readily available outside of Belgium and The Netherlands. In America, Yukon Gold and Russett potatoes are acceptable substitutes. In Bulgaria, just choose a starchy potato.

2. Belgians and Bulgarians almost always peel their potatoes, and this would logically be the next step, followed by a quick wash. But I prefer fries with the skin on, so I simply wash the potatoes.

3. After washing the potatoes, cut them into 1/3 inch sticks. Rinse potatoes and submerge in a bowl of cold water. After letting potatoes sit for 30 minutes, drain bowl and rinse potatoes in cold water until the water is clear. Drain potatoes and pat dry with paper towels.

4. Add potatoes – cooking no more than one handful at a time – to preheated deep fryer. Fry potatoes, stirring often to prevent sticking, 3 to 5 minutes until just cooked but still white. Transfer fried potatoes onto dry paper towels to drain, and let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes.

5. Return potatoes – again cooking no more than one handful at a time – to deep fryer. Fry 2 to 4 minutes or until crispy and golden brown. Transfer fries onto dry paper towels to drain briefly and then top with shredded сирене (feta cheese). Salt and pepper to taste.

At some point, I'm going to try adding crumbled bacon along with the сирене, but, for now, these will suffice.