SALT BAKED POTATO PARCELS

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the main part of a meal we often forget to lavish the same amount of attention on your sides. Spare a thought then for the humble jacket potato, thrown in the oven and told to get on with it. Well, give them a bit of attention by baking them in a salt dough and you'll have the finest potato ever to grace your plate. Not much to talk about here really, the recipe below will be enough to cover 2 medium sized jackets. Scale up the measurements as required and prepare to be amazed;

Salt Baked Potatoes

3 Egg Whites

Approx. 50ml Water

150g Salt

250g Plain Flour

2 Medium Jacket Potatoes

1. Whack the oven straight on to 220 degrees (200 fan) ready for your special spuds.
2. Place the egg whites, 50ml water, salt and flour into a bowl and mix until the mixture comes
   
   together into a dough ball. If it's struggling to come together add a tsp of water at a time until it does but don't go mad, you don't want it to be super wet.
3. Cut the dough ball in half and roll out each half until the dough is big enough to fit around each of the potatoes. Lightly flour the surface of the dough is sticking to your work surface but you shouldn't need to if the consistency is right.
4. Wrap the flattened dough around each of the potatoes making sure there are no gaps in the dough. Place your dough wrapped potatoes on a baking tray and bake for 1 hour.

Remove the potatoes from the oven and crack those bad boys open (you'll need to use a bit of force) and out will pop a perfectly baked potato. Not too hard or soft and not the least bit dry. Absolutely spot on! The next part is the filling and that's up too you. Slather them with butter if your a potato purist or fill them with whatever you wish - I used creme fraiche and a bit of fresh coriander, on the diet me aren't I.

If you have the time, give your spuds a bit of love. It will be the best parcel you've opened since Christmas!