Savory

Hasselback Potatoes

Boring old everyday potato…

Hasselback potato…

Ordinary root vegetable…

Root vegetable with dancy-dance cheerleader flair

From – Eh…

To – Whoa, mama… How you doo-win’?


That’s what Hasselback potatoes are. It’s an everyday overlooked potato picked up, wiped down, dressed up, hair did, eyelashes curled, pumps on and totally flippin’ new again.

It’s a potato with a Jenny Jones make-over.

Ya’ll remember those?

No?

I’m old…

You want to think of David Hasselhoff when I mention these potatoes. You have to fight that. Hasselback potatoes don’t wear leather jackets and roll in a talking car named KITT.

Quick, who does the voice of KITT?

Great, now the Knight Rider theme song is in my head. It will be there all day. My brain can’t help it.

Is it in your head too? We can’t fight that. The theme song rocked.

Ok, let’s get it out of our system.

Go on, play it… You know you want to. Leather jackets and talking cars are totally in right now…

Do it..

Knight Rider Theme Song ~ Stu Phillips

Got it out?

Cool…

Hasselback potatoes have absolutely nothing to do with The Hoff. Let’s make that clear. I just wanted you to play the theme song. I ain’t ashamed to say it.

Hasselbacks are how the *Swedes do up their ‘taters. Who knew the *Swedes knew a thing or two about kicking up a root vegetable?

I sho’ didn’t….

I grated like 10 garlic cloves for 4 potatoes. That was some serious, serious garlic breath. I added thyme sprigs. I sprinkled kosher salt and olive oil on them. Then I poured melted butter over those babies…

And if that wasn’t enough, I got my microplane and grated some parmesan cheese over em’.

It looked like snow.

In spring.

On my Hasselback…

When baked the cheese melts and leaves a nice crunchy cheesy coat. The garlic almost melts into the potato slices and the thyme lends some nice herbal notes.

Did I mention I poured melted butter over these potatoes?

Did I mention I basted these babies in olive oil?

Mmm…Hot damn…

You gotta jump on this bandwagon, or on KITT, or…

It doesn’t even matter.

Hasselbacks are where it’s at.

Get your Hasselback on…

Love,

Me…

Hasselback potatoes - aka - The best side dish ever!!! www.mind-over-batter.com

* In my original post, I totally said the Swiss came up with these potatoes. Wrong! I was schooled by Catharina, who is Swedish, and nice enough to leave a comment on my blog.

Hasselback potatoes come from a restaurant in Stockholm Sweden called The Hasselbacken, hence the name, Hasselback. Just goes to show, a chick never stops learnin’… Thanks Catharina!

Hasselback Potatoes

Adapted From Joy The Baker
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 4 Russet potatoes
  • 8-10 Garlic cloves grated
  • 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • Coarse sea salt
  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 3-4 Tablespoons thyme
  • As much grated parmesan cheese as you dare

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  • Give your potatoes a very good scrubbing since we’re leaving the skins on. Grate the garlic cloves and set aside.
  • Slice a thin layer off the bottom of each potato. This will serve to give them a solid base to rest on while they get sliced. Using a sharp knife, make slices across the potato, about 1/8 of an inch apart, slicing into them, but not completely through them. The slices should stay connected at the bottom. Repeat with each potato.
  • Starting at one end, begin to slide garlic slices and thyme in between potato slices until you reach the end of the potato. I found this to be the easiest method in preventing breakage. If you start sliding garlic -n- thyme in the middle you may end up having to shove in the garlic and risk breaking your nicely sliced potato.
  • Place potatoes on a baking sheet. Generously sprinkle potatoes with salt and drizzle with oil. Pour the melted butter over the potatoes and sprinkle with as much grated parmesan cheese as you dare.
  • Bake for 1 hour or until tender on the inside and crisp on the outside. Remove the pan about every 15 minutes to baste potatoes in the oil and butter from the pan.

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