Baked jacket potatoes

Not so much of a recipe as a reminder not to forget about the humble British spud when you are planning what to feed your family.  Potatoes are so versatile, packed with vitamin C and fibre and relatively inexpensive.  They’re a great alternative to gluten-free pasta and rice.

Floury potatoes such as Maris Piper or King Edward are best for baked potatoes.

The temperature of the oven and the timings are only guides here.  To save money, it is a good idea to cook something else in the oven at the same time, so go with the temperature that you are using for the other dish and adjust your cooking time accordingly.

Jen will often cook more than she needs for this meal so that she has leftovers to get ahead on another meal for example stuffed jacket potatoes or saute potatoes.

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220C.

2. Wash the potatoes.  Prick the skin with a fork.  Skewer through the middle – you can use a metal teaspoon to do this – the idea is that the metal will conduct heat to the centre of the potato to speed up cooking time.

3. Arrange of a baking tray spaced out.  Bake for 30-50 mins, depending on the size of the potatoes until fully cooked through and the skin is crisp.

Topping ideas for baked potatoes: dairy-free butter, bolognese, sesame-free hummus, sweet peppers and tomatoes, egg-free mayonnaise, the choice is endless!