How-to 20: Make Hasselback Potatoes

Crispy outside and soft inside...

Hasselback potatoes are named after the Hasselbacken Hotel in Stockholm, Sweden, where they are said to have been invented. They are really a cross between roast potatoes and baked potatoes- more luxurious than baked but not quite as long to cook as roast. Their shape makes them perfect for soaking up sauces such as pesto, too. They are wonderful with cashew sour cream- see here. You can add pepper, herbs and sauce, but here are the basic instructions fro making Hasselbacks for 4-6 people:

We used:

8 medium-sized potatoes (or one large one per person)

50-75ml olive oil (traditionally a mixture of butter and oil is used)

1-1/2 tsps seasalt- we had fine, but coarse is also good

1: Measure out the oil and put into a roasting dish. Ricebran oil is also a stable oil to use.

2: Scrub the potatoes carefully, removing any surface blemishes. No need to peel.

3: Cut slits around the potatoes about 3-5mm wide. Go almost all the way round as if you were slicing them, but leave them attached.  (You can make the slices a bit thinner if you have the time and patience.)

4: Toss the potatoes with the oil in the dish and brush it into the slits. Sprinkle with seasalt.

5: Bake at 200C for about 45 minutes. They should look like this when nearly done.

6: When fully cooked, the skins will be crispy and the insides soft (test with the point of a knife)