Dad's Old Fashioned Italian Home Fries

Friday, March 19, 2021
Growing up this was a typical side dish for breakfast, lunch or dinner and the best ever Old Fashioned Italian Home Fries I ever had that Dad made.


Dad usually was in charge of making home fries because he really made the best.


The recipe can be different every time you make these home fries with some additions added depending on what time of day it is for using spices we love them plain for breakfast, spicy for dinner.


Just by adding a few simple ingredients, Dad somehow turned an ordinary potato into an addicting crunchy wonderful spud and usually made our own homemade seasoning salt we kept on hand.


If you're a big potato fan don't miss trying my Salt and Vinegar Potato Recipes or my German Style Potato Salad Recipe both family favorites!


Scroll down to the recipe card to print these delicious how-to make the best home fries you ever tasted!





this is a pan of oil sizzling home fried potatoes with Italian seasonings







Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner Home Fried Potatoes




These home fries are the best-tasting spuds out there, made the old-fashioned once in a while won't hurt.


Back in the 1960s, all we used was a cast-iron skillet, olive oil potatoes, and a few blended seasonings.


The potatoes were inexpensive and made many a night with the addition of hotdogs or whatever else we could afford to feed the family


Getting them nicely golden was easy wit some of the tricks of the trade with vintage old recipes like this one.


If you prefer not to pan fry them, certainly go ahead and Air Fry them at 400 degrees for around 17 minutes with the same seasonings and just spray them and the fryer basket first with a little cooking oil.




this is a dish of crispy fried home fried slices of potatoes



Ingredients You Will Need

  • russet potatoes are the best (we have also used red-skinned potatoes)
  • salt, pepper
  • paprika
  • olive oil
  • granulated garlic powder
  • Garnish: Pecorino Romano cheese
  • Optional: chopped parsley, oregano and basil 




How to make Italian style home fries with vegetables. Peppers zucchini garlic mozzarella and bread crumbs are on top.




Optional Additions

  • small cut up hot dogs
  • sliced cooked hot Italian sausage
  • sliced pepperoni or cubed
  • hot peppers
  • onions sliced
  • eggs beaten
  • shredded provolone
  • shredded mozzarella
  • sliced eggplant
  • diced tomatoes
  • shredded or wedges of zucchini
  • garnish with pecorino romano cheese




boiled potatoes



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Stretching Your Food Budget



This is a very economical way to feed a large family on the budget and potatoes make the best side dish for any meal.


Using some of our optional additions like hotdogs for dinner or for breakfast some whisked eggs in with the potatoes or for lunch peppers and sausages, it turned plain potatoes into a gourmet meal (at least to us) back then.


Adding some of the leftovers during the week like hotdogs, boneless chicken or pork chops off the bone were just a few additions dad would use in these home fries to feed us kids.


The best part is you they are pre-boiled and partially cooked which seems to give the potatoes that extra crunch on the outside when fried they are so delicious.


These potatoes will always be one of the best memories of my dad's cooking dinners for us kids, simply delicious, with old-fashioned goodness, we honestly never knew we were poor and still appreciate making these in his memory.




Dad's Old Fashioned Italian Home Fries

Dad's Old Fashioned Italian Home Fries

Yield: 4
Author: Claudia Lamascolo
Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 50 MinTotal time: 1 H & 10 M
This is a basic recipe dad would make when us kids were little. Pan-fried potatoes and anything we had in the refrigerator would go in. Sometimes they were just plain potatoes and always these simple spuds were delicious to us.

Ingredients

  • 6 to 8 russet potatoes ( we have also used red-skinned potatoes)
  • 1/4 cup of olive oil adjust if using more potatoes
  • Water for boiling enough just to cover the potatoes
  • salt and pepper to taste or seasoning salt
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
  • Garnish Pecorino Romano Cheese grated
  • Optional Additions:
  • small cut up hot dogs add with potatoes in the beginning
  • sliced cooked sweet or  hot Italian sausage add with potatoes in the beginning
  • cubed pepperoni
  • chopped capicola
  •  regular or hot peppers at the beginning with potatoes
  •  pour beaten eggs over them for potatoes and eggs
  • shredded mozzarella on top at the end
  • sliced eggplant add almost at the end when potatoes are cooked
  • diced tomatoes add almost at the end when potatoes are cooked
  • shredded or wedges of zucchini same as eggplant
  • shredded provolone on top at the end or use some shredded mozzarella

Instructions

  1. First, boil as many potatoes as you need for your family in 1 teaspoon of salt to a 5-quart saucepan (skins remain on) we usually cook 6 to 8 potatoes for 25 minutes.
  2. Drain the potatoes and cool completely. (We usually make them and refrigerate them until needed for the week) The potato needs to be cold so you can slice them.
  3. Once the potatoes are cold run under water and remove the skins or leave them if you like them on.
  4. Slice the potatoes around 1/4 to 1/2 thick slices.
  5. Heat the butter around 1/4 cup of olive oil in a deep cast-iron or chicken fryer-style pan on low heat.
  6. Place the potatoes into the pan of hot oil fry them around 10 minutes and lower the heat (the bottoms when flipping should be crispy golden in color).
  7. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, granulated garlic powder, and paprika.
  8. Saute on low heat until golden and crispy almost like golden-colored potato chips, this usually takes around 25 to 30 minutes.
  9. Drain them on the paper towel and eat them hot sprinkle with Pecorino Romano cheese on top or optional additions listed above.
home fried potato recipe, dad's home fries, old fashioned home fries, Italian home fried potato recipe
potato recipes, spud recipes, home fried potato recipes, Italian fried potato recipes
American, French
Created using The Recipes Generator




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crispy fried potatoes



Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2010. It was edited and re-published in 2021.

47 comments

  1. Very interesting recipe!
    Have a great vacation Claudia!

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  2. Have a great holiday claudia!

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  3. Congrats on your 10th anniversary! Have fun on your vacation! I don't have much patience in my cooking but I will be patient waiting for you to be back for more wonderful recipes :D Love the dish here.

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  4. Have a wonderful, wonderful time and congratulations!

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  5. Hello! This blend is making me hungry!! Thanks for sharing:)

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  6. love to cook with 'mustgos' - my favorite eats - have a wonderful trip and happy anniversary.

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  7. Happy anniversary! Hope you enjoy a wonderful vacation. We just returned from a month up in the Adirondacks. We usually make a trip to The Franklin Hotel, but it didn't quite work out. I will just have to make some of your Utica Greens for myself at home.

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  8. Hey Claudia, have a great vacation and Happy Anniversary!

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  9. Hope you have a blast. Take lots of photos to share with us!

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  10. Happy anniversary have fun
    lovely recipe

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  11. The home fries look great! Have a wonderful safe trip and get some rest!!

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  12. I love peppers with potatoes. Mmm, mmm, mustgoes! Happy happy anniversary to you and Captain Nemo!! You deserve all the best and I hope you have an amazing, relaxing, wonderful and romantic trip!

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  13. Yaaay, love :-)

    Happy Anniversary my sweet!

    Catch some rays for me and send 'em back

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  14. Congratulations to Jennifer-that's so nice! Hope you have a nice time, Claudia. Sounds like you will for sure...
    Oh, and this dish looks stellar. Home fries would actually really hit the spot right now!

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  15. Wednesdays is usually a mustgo supper for us...right before I hit the grocery store again. I do love being creative with all the great creative dishes that were made during that week.

    Your cruise sounds wonderful...have yourselves a fun and relaxing voyage ;o)

    All the best,
    Claudia

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  16. Have a great time:) Take lots of pics... Happy Anniversary! This dish looks fantastic, very unique:)

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  17. I have "mustgoes" every Wednesday before new stuff comes in on Thursday! Your "mustgoes" are much tastier than mine. Love the vegetable home fries. have a grand vacation!

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  18. Happy Anniversary to you and your husband! Have a fun vacation! Love this mustgoes - such a cute name.

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  19. I just love how you present your dishes. Colorful and delicious dish of home fries!

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  20. I love italian cuisine!! I come from Gera blog, love yours! gloria

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  21. WOW!!! Thanks Claudia and CSN!!! Thats awesome!!! I can't wait to go shopping!! I love your blog and my goal is to try and make everything on here!!! Thanks Again!!!

    Jennifer C.

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  22. wonderful recipe,claudia!
    a great vacation for you and nemo!

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  23. Congratulations on your anniversary. I hope you have a wonderful time on your cruise!

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  24. Hi
    Pls accept this award
    http://torviewtoronto.blogspot.com/p/awards-and-publications.html
    regards

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  25. Hi

    Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a comment under the cookies. Unfortunately my kitten didn't make it and passed away. Infact next Sunday will be a year that he passed away.

    I hope you try those cookies, they are seriously delish.

    Maria
    x

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  26. Ohh...those potatoes look so good Claudia! I will never loose weight if I keep reading this stuff!

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  27. Have a wonderful trip. Get some well deserved R&R.

    Happy travels.

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  28. Happy Anniversary Claudia! Hope you have a great vacation :)

    I love home fries and these are fantastic!

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  29. Have a wonderful vacation. I love cruise life and it's PERFECT for us foodies.
    Safe travels. Lots of fun. Have a great time!

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  30. Love these potatoes. Sounds like our recipe, only with sweet italian sausages added to it. Delicious.

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  31. Really can't go wrong with these fried potatoes! So delicious with paired with red bell peppers and sausage!

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  32. Oh yum! It has been way too long since I have had home fries. Your dad's look amazing. Love that paprika and Pecorino Romano. The optional toppings sound delicious too.

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  33. They look particularly crispy and tender at the same time. YUMMY!

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  34. Oh these look so great! I love all things potatoes :D

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  35. This looks so tasty and very delicious! My family is going to love it! So excited!

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  36. I love fries ANY way they're cooked. These were the best breakfast potatoes I've had in a long time. So full of flavor and the best texture. With a dash of sea salt it's absolutely perfect!

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  37. These home fries are super crispy! I love that this is a simple recipe, and I can dump whatever I've got in the fridge to make a meal!

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  38. These home fries are so perfect for brunch! Will be making them soon.

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  39. Yummy! I made this recipe for my family and they loved it! Can’t wait to make this again soon!

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  40. I love that you got this recipe from your Dad and it ticks all of the comfort food boxes! Great hearty dish and the additions sound yummy too. Cheers!

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  41. I Made for a gathering and it was a hit, everyone loved it! Will definitely make it again!

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  42. i made these for breakfast this morning and they were perfect! so delicious and easy to make too

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  43. What a special recipe! Golden brown, crispy, delicious potatoes - and how special that they were your dad's favorite. Thank you for sharing!

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  44. Love the crispy edges and the endless variations to these humble spuds! These home fries were awesome!

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  45. You had me at potatoes! These look lush. We call these fried potatoes here in Scotland and have them as part of a cooked breakfast (minus the cheese). Yum!

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Remember to use the search option for a recipe you're looking for and thanks for all your kind words and support. We love our readers all the best Claudia