Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside - these Hassleback Potatoes are always a hit !
Hassleback potatoes (also sometimes called ‘Fantail’ Potatoes due to their pretty fanned shape once cooked) are Swedish in origin and apparently named after the ‘Hasselbacken Restaurant’ in Stockholm where they were first served. (Okay, so they’re not a typical African side dish but I thought I’d put the recipe on the blog anyway as they are always a hit and are well worth trying !)
For a little bit of heat, you could use fresh garlic and chilli in place of the rosemary
There are many ways to prepare these tasty potatoes – the recipe below is how I make mine. They are fairly easy to do, (the ‘hardest’ part is probably slicing them neatly) and also make an impressive dinner party side dish (minimum work for maximum impact !)
Some recipes call for you to par boil the potatoes until just tender before slicing & baking them, but I prefer not to as I find them easier to cut raw – so really, it’s up to you -:
Some recipes call for you to par boil the potatoes until just tender before slicing & baking them, but I prefer not to as I find them easier to cut raw – so really, it’s up to you -:
Crunchy Rosemary Hassleback (or ‘Fantail’) Potatoes
8 Potatoes, medium sized (I use red Potatoes)
Salt & freshly ground Black Pepper
2 tbsp fresh Rosemary, finely chopped (or any herb of your choice. Garlic and/or Chilli Powder also works well)
Olive Oil
Wash the potatoes & insert a skewer (lengthways) through the base of the potato to prevent you from cutting all the way through the potato. Now slice the potato widthways at around 5mm intervals (see photo above). You only need to slice about ¾’s of the way through the potato – which is where the skewer comes in handy, as it prevents you from slicing right through. (You don’t have to use a skewer, but it does help). Repeat with remaining potatoes, then place them on a baking tray/sheet and season with salt, pepper & the finely chopped fresh rosemary. Pour a little olive oil over the surface of each potato and bake at Gas Mark 7 for about an hour. Once done, the potatoes will be crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Garnish with a little more rosemary before serving, if desired.
