When it comes to cooking crispy roast potatoes, air fryers excel. The rapid air circulation mimics the effect of deep frying but without the need for excessive oil.

While some people are still dubious of using this energy-efficient appliance to make crunchy spuds, Phillips' Airfryer chef Martin Senders has a method that guarantees great results.

He told Express.co.uk: "There’s no denying that potatoes - whether roasted, crinkle cut or fries - work brilliantly in the air fryer. However, there’s no reason you can’t improve on a classic.

‌"From indulgent loaded fries to crisp roast potatoes, there are dozens of ways to dial up the flavour of your favourite side. Philips airfryers feature our patented RapidAir technology which optimises heat circulation - producing crispy, tender and evenly cooked results every time."

Martin swears by a three-step method for the ultimate crunch in homemade roasties.

His first rule is to always fry potatoes after cutting them. Martin said: "Be sure to give them a quick pat with some dry kitchen paper or paper towels, to get them as dry as possible. This helps to remove moisture, paving the way for an extra crispy exterior with that heavenly fluffy inside."

A second tip to try when air frying roasties is to cook them in smaller quantities. Though not ideal for catering to large numbers of people, it is possible to keep spuds warm while cooking other batches if necessary.

"Overfilling your air fryer drawer can be tempting when you’re famished, but it can stop the air circulating properly and your roasties getting an even crisp", warned Martin.

For instances where you need to cater to large groups, the chef suggested laying the potatoes down in a criss-cross or lattice shape in the air fryer. He claimed that "this allows the hot air to circulate fully around them for a deliciously crispy exterior".‌

Air fryer roast potatoes with thyme recipe

Ingredients

1kg of Franceline potatoes

One teaspoon of thyme, fresh

One teaspoon of fresh rosemary

Four tablespoons of olive oil

Three garlic cloves

A pinch of pepper

A pinch of Himalayan salt

Method

First, slice the potatoes into very thin slices but keep the potato in the shape of a potato. Chop the thyme and rosemary very finely and mix with the olive oil and crushed, finely chopped garlic.

Brush the oil and herbs over the potatoes and sprinkle them generously with pepper and Himalayan salt. Now place the potatoes in the air fryer basket.

Bake the spuds at 180C for 25 minutes, shaking the basket several times during the cooking process. Serve straight from the fryer.