Christmas dinner is not too far away, and one of the highlights of the meal are the roast potatoes.

Perfectly cooked roast potatoes don’t have to be tricky, and there are three simple steps to achieving the best ones.

Maris Piper potatoes are widely accepted to be the best variety to choose for roasting.

But what should you do with the raw materials? There are three steps to the best roasties.

Size

While large roast potatoes may look generous on the plate, they are more difficult to cook and get the desired result.

Too much middle could result in overcooked skin and an underdone centre.

Cut the potatoes relatively small to ensure optimal cooking of the skin and white middle.

Dredging

After boiling the potatoes for two minutes, they should be drained in a colander.

Add a sprinkling of flour - or semolina as Nigella Lawson suggests - season, and shake the colander.

This will roughen the edges of the potatoes to ensure delicious crispy skin.

Fat

Goose fat has become one of the most popular choices for cooking roast potatoes in over the last few years.

Whatever fat you choose, it should be very hot before the potatoes are added to it. Choose a fat with a high smoking point to achieve this - goose fat being one example.

Separate the potatoes evenly across the tray and cook for one hour or until golden.