If I'm making roast potatoes, I bring them to boil in a pot of salted water then simmer for 6 minutes. I drain them in a colander, and, like you, allow them to dry.
Then, I heat a little sunflower oil in a roasting pan on the hob over a high flame. I rumble the potatoes around in the colander to roughen up the surfaces and briefly fry them in the hot oil, turning frequently, until the potatoes turn golden and slightly crisp on the outside.
Then, the roasting pan goes into the oven, pre-heated to 180C/Gas Mark 4, for 40 minutes. The roasties come out nicely browned, crisp on the outside and moist and tender inside.