Cooking web notes

Hasselback Potatoes

Oh, how I love potatoes in just about any way they are prepared.

There are hundreds of potato dishes; potato salad, scalloped potatoes, twice-baked potatoes, roasted potatoes, stuffed potatoes, potato pancakes, hash brown potatoes, home-fried potatoes, au gratin potatoes, potato chips; every mans’ favorite, mashed potatoes and my favorite, baked potatoes.

Speaking of baked potatoes, Hasselback potatoes are baked potatoes kicked up a notch.  They are named after the Restaurant Hasselbacken that first served them in the late 1700’s in Stockholm, Sweden.  They are known throughout European cuisine with the Irish calling them Accordion Potatoes.  It makes sense to me because that is what they look like.  They are a fun potato to make and delicious to eat!

Hasselback potatoes look like they might take a long time to prepare but that is not the case.  I found that the easiest way to cut them is to place a wooden spoon handle on both sides of the potato, hold it firmly and start slicing every ¼” from the top down to the spoon handles.  It’s very easy and a sure way not to accidentally cut through the whole potato.  When properly made, the potato should have opened up like the folds of an accordion into a fan shape. 

They are delicious and have a great presentation to add some dazzle to an ordinary meal or a holiday meal.  They go well with about any meal and would be excellent with ham for your Easter dinner!

Hasselback Potatoes

Ingredients:

8 long baking potatoes, scrubbed

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

½ cup bread crumbs

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 teaspoon paprika                                                                               

Coarse salt, to taste

Fresh parsley, minced (optional)

Method:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

Oil a shallow glass baking dish.

Peel the potatoes.

Place on a cutting board and cut a narrow slice from the bottom of each potato, discard the slice.  This keeps the potato from rolling.

Place a long-handled wooden spoon on each side of the potato lengthwise.

Using a sharp knife, slice each potato crosswise ¼” apart, slicing vertically.

In a small bowl, place the Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon olive oil, paprika, salt and blend well.

Brush the potatoes with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Pat bread crumb mixture on top of each potato.

Place potatoes in the oiled baking dish.

Cover with foil.

Bake 30 minutes.

Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes.

Remove from oven.

Sprinkle parsley on top, if desired.

Serve

They look like little “ roly-polys” and taste wonderful!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 23, 2011 at 5:27 AM and is filed under Parmesan, Potatoes, Side Dish, Vegetables. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response.