Hassellback Potatoes: Italian Style
Hasselback potatoes are one of my favorite party recipes because they look like you spent all day tending to their cute little selves, but they are actually deceptively simple to prepare. When you take into account the amount of time it takes to peel, chop and season boring old roasted potatoes, you'll see that these Hasselback are well worth the 10 minutes or less that it takes to slice them, coat them and pop them into the oven. I posted a photo of a russet potato that I "Hasselback," but I also made some Hasselback sweet potatoes, which were equally delicious. One medium-sized potato per guest should be enough, and to mix it up and add some color to your table, you can make an equal amount of russet and sweet potatoes.
As much as I love my china, I do hate washing my dishes, especially when I host large dinner parties. These ivory and gold dinner plates are just as elegant, and nothing beats not having to stand over the sink when your guests are gone for the night. One last thing! If you accidentally cut through the potato (gasp!) and sever part of the potato off, it's not the end of the world - trust me - it'll taste just as good, and you can stick the pieces back together. Although it is more elegant to serve the potato whole, so the perfectionist in me did go a little crazy trying to make sure I didn't cut through the potatoes all the way.
Ingredients:
- 4 oblong russet potatoes, of similar size (so they bake evenly)
- 4 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground sea salt
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425° F.
2. Slice potatoes carefully, making sure not to cut through the bottom, but also leaving enough room for seasoning.
3. Combine Italian seasoning, sea salt, olive oil, and garlic in a small bowl or measuring cup (for pouring).
4. Drizzle or pour seasoning mixture over potatoes, taking care to coat the insides of the potato slices. Brush tops of potatoes with remaining mixture.
5. Bake for 60 minutes or until potatoes are as tender or crispy as you prefer.
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