Responses from the team to the questions:
What are the best potatoes to use when you are thinly slicing them over a dish and baking in the oven? i have a lovely recipe for a fish pie done like this and have cooked it twice - the first time was very successful and i did not need to par boil the potatoes, the second time was ruined really because the potatoes took so long to cook and never ended up tasting very nice anyway. thank you.
~ It depends on how you like your potatoes! Use a firmer potato as these will hold their shape more if you parboil them, however if you?d rather have a fluffier 'mash-style' topping then use a flourier potato. Using an all rounder would be ideal as they can be used for just about anything (such as Maris Piper or King Edward) - but really it depends on your taste!
I have a question, or rather, a set of questions.
What makes a potato 'waxy' or 'floury'?
~ Potatoes are classed as waxy or floury because of their "dry matter" - the drier the potato when harvested, the flourier it is, making it great for mash and roasties with fluffy insides.
Can you tell which the potato will be without cooking it? How?
~ Variety information on www.manyfacesofpotatoes.com/uk/potato-varieties also the potato's uses should be marked on the pack - mash, chips, roast are floury, boiling, steaming and salad potatoes are waxy (hold their shape more)
Are different (waxy/floury) potatoes better for different purposes?
~ Yes, see above suggestions and manyfacesofpotatoes.co.uk for usage of different varieties
And what sort are Marfona? Apart from being the best potatoes for everything!
~ Marfona are on the flourier side of the scale, so they are great for mash, baking and roasts
My potatoes this week came with bits of red dye on, mainly where eyes had been trimmed. I'm assuming it's safe to eat, but would like clarification if possible, and to know what it is/ what purpose it serves please? Also would like to know how green and how 'sprouty' they can be before its not safe to eat please.
~ This may be a variety that has red pigment in the skin, such as King Edward or Cara and as such is nothing to worry about. When potatoes go green, it means that they are being stored in the light which discolours them - they should be stored in a dark place. If they do go green then they should not be eaten. With the sprouts, they can be knocked off and the potatoes eaten with no issue.
I've always wondered how much nutrition there is in a potato. I've always been told that the skin is very healthy, is the flesh healthy too?
~ See nutrition chart on www.manyfacesofpotatoes.com/uk/nutrition/potatoes