These baked potatoes taste amazing and look even better! Perfect if you need a quick and delicious side dish to bring to a Christmas feast or want to spruce up your usual meat and veg combo.
Ingredients
- 1kg of potatoes (2 lb) — any type of potato will do
- 50g of butter (2 oz)
- 2 tbsp of thyme
- 2 tbsp of rosemary
- 2 cloves of garlic
- Salt for seasoning
- Optional: 1 – 2 tbsp of breadcrumbs
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Finely chop up the rosemary, thyme and garlic.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan (on a very low heat) then throw in the herbs as well. Let it gently cook for five minutes or so before taking the saucepan off the heat.
- Wash and peel the potatoes.
- Horizontally cut off the base of the potato so it won’t roll when you place it down.
- On the top of the potato, make deep slices (without cutting all the way through) at roughly 2-5mm intervals.
- Line a baking tray with baking paper and sit the potatoes with the cuts facing upwards.
- Brush the mixture onto the potatoes, giving it a generous dressing, and making sure it gets inside the grooves.
- Bake them in the oven for an hour or so (cooking times will vary depending on the size of the potatoes). You can also brush them with more of the mixture a couple of times while cooking. When they’ve got about 20 minutes to go, season with salt to your liking and if you want to add some extra crunch, you might like to sprinkle a few breadcrumbs onto each potato.
- You’ll know they’re ready once they’re golden and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
Background: Swedish Hasselback potatoes
The name of this dish derives from the Stockholm restaurant, Hasselbacken, where it is believed the Scandinavian recipe was first invented in the 1950s.
Swedish Hasselback potatoes have been a popular side dish ever since, and there are many varied recipes that alternate the ingredients, creating a different taste each time.
For example, you’ll find some who swear that breadcrumbs are essential, and others who think the dish is better without. Other ingredients you might find added into the recipe include bacon, chives, cheese and lemon zest.
You’ll also find versions that don’t cut the bottom of the potato off, and some recipes that leave the skin of the potato on.
Scandification: Discovering Scandinavia.
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