Home fries or cottage fries are a type of basic potato ish made by pan or skillet frying diced, chunked, wedged or sliced potatoes (sometimes unpeeled) that have been par-cooked by boiling, baking, steaming, or microwaving. The potatoes are cooled between the two stages. Thus, they differ from french fries, which are cooked primarily by deep-frying (short immersion in high temperature oil).